


When all hope is gone

by Serooks



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Cooking, First Kiss, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Food Issues, House of Black, Hurt/Comfort, Literal Sleeping Together, M/M, Not Epilogue Compliant, Post-Battle of Hogwarts, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, References to Depression, Sharing a Bed, Slow Burn, Suicidal Thoughts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-05
Updated: 2020-08-09
Packaged: 2021-03-05 02:21:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 22,183
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25086847
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Serooks/pseuds/Serooks
Summary: The war is over but Draco can't escape the horrors of it. He needs an escape, a distraction and what better idea then to watch over a troubled Harry Potter.
Relationships: Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter
Comments: 70
Kudos: 198





	1. First steps

**Author's Note:**

> I never thought this fic would ever see the light of day. I have a problem with finishing what I start so this fic is my first completed multi-chapter and I'm so proud of it. 
> 
> It's a slow burn with a lot of hurt/comfort and some difficult topics so please read the tags.
> 
> I'm not a english-native speaker (I'm french!) so I apologize in advance for any mistakes. 
> 
> I hope you will enjoy it. Don't hesitate to leave a comment. 
> 
> I'm on tumblr (@serooks) too, so come say hi if you want !

The war was over but it wasn’t an end. It was a new beginning.

Draco had seen his whole life take a new turn since the battle of Hogwarts.

His father was sent to Azkaban. He and his mother had to leave the manor and they now lived in a smaller house near London, in a muggle street.  
She was working in an antique shop in Knockturn Alley. They needed the money, and she needed a distraction. The decision of the Wizengamot had been hard on her because, as much as she despised her husband’s decisions and involvements with the Dark Lord, he remained her husband. Draco knew that she still loved him.

Draco felt differently toward his father. It wasn’t love. It wasn’t hate either. It was a form of sadness and regret.

He had waited for the tears to come when he had learned about his father’s imprisonment, but he just felt like the world had stopped. It was like being back when his father had been sent to Azkaban after the events in the Department of Mysteries. Except, this time, the sentence didn’t felt wrong.

He had tried to talk about it with his mother but he knew that it was too hard for her. So since the trial, he had buried these feelings deep down. Everything was buried, the good and the bad, he didn’t try to make a difference anymore. It was useless. Feelings were a loss of time and he only needed to be aware of the world not of himself.

That’s how he spent the entire summer of 1998. He would sometimes lay in bed all day just sleeping and flipping without cares through his books. His mother had asked a few times if he wanted to go back to Hogwarts for the last year but she stopped when she saw how little her son cared. To care about the future, you would need hope but Draco didn’t have any, not anymore.

Draco wasn’t sure he would have lived through the summer if it wasn’t for his mother.

The day of the start of the new school year was like any other day for Draco. Aimlessly, he went through the day, only coming out of his room to go to the toilet. When his mother came back, he ate with her in silence. She didn’t bring up the date; he didn’t bring up his dad. They went to bed, wishing both a better life for the other.

The next day, Draco was awakened by a loud thump on the door. He knew his mother was already working so he went downstairs slowly, his wand at the ready.

A new thump made him jumped.

He opened the door to - “Granger? What are you doing here?”

“Malfoy,” she eyed him from head to toe, and he could feel a wave of judgement from her.

“Can I come in?”

He let her in before closing the door. It was better to have a conversation inside than in front of this awfully curious neighbourhood.

“I don’t have time so is Harry here or not?” She asked looking around her.

“Potter? Why would Potter be here?”

Granger started to go the door then came back in front of him. He could see her hands shaking.

“He is missing. It’s been a few days without news and he wasn’t here yesterday at Hogwarts.”

“And you thought he would have come to _me_?”

“We are desperate, Malfoy. We tried everywhere.”

“He is not here.”

She nodded then closed her eyes for a moment. He had never seen her so panicked but to be honest it’s not like they were friends or even remotely close.

“Did you really try everywhere?”

She opened her eyes and shot him an annoyed glance. He arched a brow before summoning a piece of parchment and his quill wandlessly. He went into the leaving room and sat on the small sofa.

“Start.”

She looked at him warily then started to list every place, she or Potter’s friends, already tried.

Draco couldn’t quite understand why he was helping her and therefore helping Potter. However, it was a welcoming distraction from his dull routine and his exhausted mind.

Once she had listed every place, and the list was long, Draco went over it slowly.

“Are you really sure he isn’t hiding somewhere in Hogwarts?”

“Yes, we went through the entire castle.”

“Even … the room of Hidden Things?”

“What? Yes, of course, we wen- wait no.”

She murmured something and before Draco could understand a thing, she had linked their arms and Apparated at the gate of Hogwarts.

Granger didn’t wait for him and went immediately to the gate where Professor Flitwick was pacing anxiously.

“Did you find him, Miss Granger?”

“No professor, but I might have an idea.”

Malfoy stayed behind, damning himself for having left his wand on the coffee table.

“Mister Malfoy?” Asked Professor Flitwick coming closer to the gate that was still closed.

“Yes, professor.”

“He is with me. Can we come in, professor?” requested Hermione. 

“Surely.”

Once the gate was opened, Granger indicated Draco to follow her and together they walked in silence to the seventh floor.

“Why did you bring me here?”

He had tried to hide the tension he felt coming back at Hogwarts, especially to this floor full of bad memories, but he knew Granger had heard the way his voice had quavered.

“Better to be two than one to search. The others are all at different locations.”

She was walking with more confidence now, and it felt strange to talk cordially to her in this place. Draco hoped he was right about Potter so he could go back to his bed and forget about this day already.

In front of the wall, Granger tried a few times asking for the room, without success.  
Malfoy knew the room had managed to survive, somehow, even after the fire but maybe the curse had changed its properties.

“What are you asking for?” Asked Draco when he saw that Granger was starting to walk faster and faster.

“The room _of course_.”

“You must ask for something in particular, or it won’t work.”

“You try then!”

A few years back and he would have felt mad and disrespected by her tone. Now he only wanted to be done with this.  
He walked in front of the wall three times asking the room to become the place it had become for Potter. Suddenly, a small door appeared. Granger looked at Draco, her eyes big and ran to open the door.

The door revealed a small cupboard and, on the floor, an unconscious Harry Potter.

Granger immediately stepped back and made a few wand gestures. Draco quietly stepped forward and kneeled to look at Potter.

He was very skinny. Skinnier than ever. His glasses were broken on the floor. The small space was empty except for a few objects that were smashed on the floor next to him. He had blood on his hands, his own blood. The wall opposite the door was damaged and covered in dry blood.

He could hear Granger panicked tone sending Patronuses and messages to her friends, informing them of the situation.

“Potter?” he quietly tried first.

“Potter?”

He finally opened his eyes. He tried to look for his glasses but winced when he felt the fresh bruises on his knuckles. Draco took the glasses off the floor, murmured a quick Oculus Reparo before giving them to Potter.

Once the glasses on his nose, he seemed surprised to see the Slytherin’s face.

“Malfoy?”

Draco didn’t have time to answer because Granger was now right behind him, ordering him to move. She threw a Levicorpus spell on Harry, took his wand off the floor and immediately went off through the corridor. Draco looked at the flying body and the enraged Granger, before following them having no other solution for now. 

He could hear Potter protesting, asking Granger to drop him but she wasn’t listening. The loud shouts of Harry made them turn heads on their way to the Hospital Wing. Once Harry was on a bed, she finally let him go. 

“I could have walked, _Hermione_ ”

“And flee? Without talking to us or having the proper care? Not a chance, _Harry_ ”

Draco just stood there watching them argue. The fight was stopped when a bunch of people suddenly came through, almost running in the Hospital Wing.

The noise made Madam Pomfrey appear, and she looked relieved to see Potter conscious.

“Silence or everybody out!” she ordered coming to Potter’s side with equipment.

Draco discreetly walked backwards to let the group of friends surround Potter.

The “Harry!”, “How are you?”, “You scared us!” and other marks of affections were only interrupted by Harry’s monotone “I’m fine.”. He seemed bored about the situation and Draco realised that it was probably not the first time Potter had disappeared like that. It would also explain Granger’s lack of protective worry when they had found him laying on the floor.

Draco must have made a noise because suddenly Weasley boy seemed to notice him.

“Why is _he_ here?”

The question stopped the discussion, and everyone suddenly turned their head to look at Draco.

“I brought him here” Answered Granger for him.

“ _You_ brought Malfoy?”

“ _Yes_ , Ronald. He is the one that thought of the Room of Requirement.” 

Ron seemed to take the use of his entire first name wrongly because he crossed his arm and looked away from Draco.

“I suppose I need to thank you?” said Potter in that same bored tone.

“I don’t want your thanks. I’m just waiting here for someone to Apparate me home.” He said the last part looking at Granger who didn’t seem to care.

Madam Pomfrey had just finished healing Potter’s hands when he suddenly jumped out off the bed with energy he should not have had.

“Where do you think you’re going?” asked Granger before Dean and Seamus both took Potter’s arms to put him back on the bed.

“Come on guys, I don’t need to stay here any longer. I’m fine, right Madam Pomfrey?”

“No, Mister Potter. Your physical wounds are gone but you aren’t fine” she said before leaving the room.

A heavy silence fell in the room. Potter’s friends all looked at each other like they were trying to find an answer to some puzzle. Draco was looking at Potter who was just tapping with his fingers on the bed.

“I’m not going to St Mungo’s.”

Everyone looked to Potter who had just broken the silence. Draco felt very uncomfortable witnessing this private discussion about Potter’s mental health. He never wanted to learn all of this. He didn’t need to learn that he wasn’t the only one in pain. 

“Harry ...” murmured Weasley girl.

“No. I won’t go there. I’m-”

“Don’t say you’re fine or I swear mate, I will punch you.” Cut off Weasley boy.

“Someone needs to help you, Harry. What if we took turns taking care of you maybe-” Started Granger.

“No. I don’t want your pity. We are just going round in circles like last time.”

Draco’s hush was right. This wasn’t the first time and this made him feel even worse.

“And look at what happened. Something needs to change Harry.”

“What do you think Draco?” asked suddenly Lovegood, speaking for the first time since she entered the room.

“Me?”

She nodded and everyone looked at him. Even Potter.

Honestly, he just wanted to leave but he knew that he wouldn’t be free before this matter what solved.

“Potter needs … help.”

“That’s an understatement.” Said sarcastically Weasley girl.

“But it will be useless if he doesn’t want it.”

“How come?” asked Granger.

“He needs to want to heal, or it won’t happen. He needs something to motivate him to heal.”

He needs hope, continued Draco in his mind.

“That’s not such a bad idea.” Approved Potter, looking at Draco in a very strange way.

“What about your plan for Sirius’s house?” Asked Granger, who seemed to be the head of the ‘Let’s help Potter squad’.

Potter just shrugged but for the first time since Draco saw him that day, he didn’t seem bored anymore.

“But one of us still would need to be with you to watch over you and make sure you won’t hurt yourself.” She added more for herself.

“I will.” immediately said Weasley boy.

“No, Ron. You need to get your N.E.W.T.S if you want to be an Auror.” pointed out Harry.

“If you’re not doing with me, it’s not the same, mate.”

“I will then” proposed Neville but Potter immediately shook his head.

“No. You all have your own plan. I don’t want to hold back any of you.”

“Well then it doesn’t solve the problem, Harry” stated Weasley girl.

“I could,” said Draco in a moment of absence. He was so captured by the discussion and situation that he had forgotten that they weren’t his friends, and Potter was surely not someone he cared about enough to watch over.

“ _You_ want to watch over Harry?” asked Weasley girl, with very visible surprise.

“I don’t want to, but I could. I have nothing better to do.”

Potter didn’t have time to give his opinion because Headmistress McGonagall was now in the room with Madam Pomfrey. 

“Mister Potter. You gave us quite a fright. Are you alright?”

Madam Pomfrey shooed the group to give Potter some space but they didn’t move, all waiting for his answer. He looked lengthily at Draco probably trying to see if he had other motives before finally saying “Alright, Malfoy.” He extended his hand to Draco who looked at the hand in confusion.  
He could have just laughed and said that he didn’t actually mean it. Why would he watch over his rival? Or former rival. Either way, it seemed stupid and strange, and so contradictory to everything … And that’s why he shook his hand, holding a smile back.

Harry then turned to answer McGonagall who was very confused by what had just happened.

Granger discreetly came next to Draco and gestured him to follow her. They left the Hospital Wing and once the door was closed Granger got her tongue back.

“I hope you will take this seriously, Malfoy.”

He rolled his eyes but when he saw how scared she looked, he reassured her “I will. I can handle Potter.”

“Maybe you could but he … changed. He had changed already before he- before the battle but now he changed again.”

Draco only nodded, wondering what that could mean. Harry still seemed to be the same annoying Saint Potter.

She didn’t add a word until she had brought him back to his house.

“I will owl you the details for this … arrangement. See you, Malfoy” She said before Disapparating with a small ‘pop’.

Now that Draco was alone again, he suddenly was aware of how quiet the house was. He hadn’t felt the loneliness before but now it felt suffocating. He went to his room quickly and finally changed from his grey pyjamas to put his more formal clothes. He brushed his hair for the first time in weeks and then left the house. He didn’t know where he was headed but it felt good.

He felt good for the first time in forever.


	2. First meal

The next day, an owl did come to Draco’s house. It was carrying a nicely written letter asking him to come to London, at Grimmauld Place, later in the day. The letter was also explaining that he would have to talk with Harry about their schedule, and other various dispositions.

Draco had explained to his mother, the day before, at dinner, what happened. Strangely, she had been very understanding and even happy that Draco was going to leave the house more. She seemed to care for Harry, in some way, and he knew that she felt grateful and in debt about his involvement in their trial. Harry had indeed played a big part in their lighter sentence. He had condemned Lucius’s acts but somehow forgive Draco’s. He had told the truth and explained how Draco had lied to Bellatrix and how Narcissa had lied to Voldemort. After the trial, Draco’s mother immediately went to thank him, but Harry remained distant and quiet. Once she had left him to follow her husband, Draco had decided that it was finally time for an apology. He had apologized for his behaviour, acts and involvement in the war. He had apologized about everything he had done to Harry or Harry’s friends.   
Without this burden, he had started to feel better but Harry’s strange gaze had filled him with discomfort. Harry hadn’t said anything, instead, he had give Draco his stolen wand, then left. 

The day before was the first time they had interacted since the trial. He had seen the same strange gaze in Harry’s eyes when he had offered to watch over him. Deep down, Draco’s was hoping he could discover what that gaze meant.

Later that day, he went to Grimmauld Place. The letter talked about the number 12 but he quickly realized that there was no such number in the street. He walked past the number 11 and 13 a few times, starting to feel both cheated on and angry at the presumed joke.

“Malfoy?” he turned around and suddenly Potter was on the street, looking a little bit more alive.

“Potter.”

Draco waited for him to explain something but instead, he just walked toward the house with the number 11. Suddenly a door started to materialize, then windows and slowly a whole new house with the number 12 was here standing in front of them. Speechless, Draco followed Harry to the door where Harry with a tap of his wand managed to open it. 

Draco had tried to envision the house that he knew belonged to the Black family, his mother’s family. Yet he didn’t expect the house to be in such a bad state.   
The sour scent of moisture and mould was unnerving, the amount of debris and destruction was saddening, and the cold and heavy atmosphere was overwhelming.  
Harry was standing in the long and dark hallway in silence, waiting for something. When he realized that nothing was happening, he started to look around him. Draco could see the tension of his shoulders and the way his wand was raised in front of him, enlightening the hallway thanks to the Lumos charm. 

Draco wanted to say something but he didn’t know what. He was feeling so uneasy that all his thoughts seemed to disappear.

Walking behind Harry, they finally arrived at the end of the corridor where Harry opened a door that revealed stairs. Once they were in the basement, Harry cast a spell to light up the place and sat at the end of the long table.

Draco sat next to him and in silence, he waited for Harry to say something. Minutes went without a word exchanged between the two. The house was terribly quiet, and the lack of people made it seemed more suffocating for Draco again. When he finally couldn’t take it anymore, he broke the tension.

“What happened here?”

Harry seemed to snap out of his thoughts and looked at Draco probably deciding if he was worth answering.

“A lot happened here.”

Draco arched an eyebrow, definitely not satisfied by the half answer.

“It’s a long story and-”

“We have time” interrupted Draco sensing that Harry was about to shut down.

Harry laid back in the chair, crossed his arms and looked in the distance. Draco thought that this was the end of the discussion before Harry finally opened his mouth again.

“The house belonged to the Black’s family. After Sirius’s mother died, the house was unoccupied but belonged to him. Then after he escaped from Azkaban, he gave the house to the Order of the Phoenix. Sirius’s then left the house to me in his will.”

Draco already had several questions but he knew better than to interrupt Harry. So he leant forward, showing Potter that he was listening, and waited for the rest of the story.

“The house is protected by enchantments. Dumbledore was the Secret Keeper of the place but when he died everyone who knew about the place became the Secret Keeper. Snape was one of them as a member of the Order. The house wasn’t safe anymore. So the house was again unoccupied. During ...”

Harry seemed to be less distant now, his arms were uncrossed and he was thinking about the way he could articulate the rest of the story which meant he hadn’t told it to a lot of people.

“Last year, we used the house as a hide-out for a month. But when we Apparate back to the place after leaving the ministry, Yaxley had followed us. We had then no other choice than to leave the place. The house was already in shamble before that but I guess that he and his little _friends_ had fun trying to look for clues.”

Draco had guessed that the “we” meant the trio but the rest of the story was still small pieces of the large puzzle that was Harry’s life. He nodded once he realized that Harry was done and now looking at him.

Harry didn’t speak or move after that, sitting in this chair like it meant something, so Draco decided to read the book he had brought with him. Being in the basement with no natural lights, Draco didn’t saw the time passes, especially with Harry’s silence and immobility. 

It was dinner time when Draco stood up and left. Harry didn’t even glance at him.

When he sat down with his mother in front of the magically cooked meal, Draco thought about Harry probably still sitting still, alone in the big old and destroyed house. The strange feeling in his stomach almost made him reconsider the arrangement.

The next day, Draco woke up early in the morning to try to cook something. He had tried cooking a few times since he was living with his mother. Every time he had managed to make something eatable but not necessarily good. This time was no different. He had expected cooking to be like potions but no matter how well he followed the instructions, he could never have a satisfying result. A bit defeated, he thought about going back to bed but an owl disrupted his thought. It was a letter from Granger asking if everything was alright and telling him that there was a fireplace at 12, Grimmauld Place that she had asked to be connected to the Floo Network again.

After cleaning the kitchen, he quickly answered Granger’s letter because the owl would not leave without an answer. After putting his black shirt and trousers, combing his blond hair and taking what he needed for the day, he finally went to the fireplace in the living room. 

He was never a fan of the Floo Network, especially because you never really knew how you would end up. The 12 Grimmauld Place fireplace was dusty and dirty which ruined in an instant his appearance. Draco stepped out of the fireplace, cursing before he realized that he was in the basement (or kitchen) where he had left Harry the day before. Harry was sleeping in his chair dangerously close to falling. The noise didn’t wake him up and Draco quietly went to put his cooked meal on the counter before sitting next to the sleeper. Draco noticed a large open suitcase in one corner of the basement which probably meant that Harry had planned to live here, somehow.  
He finally woke up around noon. He seemed very lost at first and almost took his wand out when he saw Draco.

“Good morning, Potter.”

“Or should I say good afternoon.”

Harry shoot him a dark glance before stretching, he immediately winced probably because of his bad sleeping position. He stood up and walked around the room before seeing Draco’s meal on the counter.

“Is that for me?”

“No.”

“Nice,” answered Harry before continuing his walk around the room. He suddenly disappeared probably to go to the loo before coming back and sit on his chair again.

“What’s up with you and this chair?” asked Draco putting his book down to look at Harry.

“I agreed for you to watch over me but that doesn’t mean we are friends Malfoy.”

“Don’t worry, I do not want to be your friend Potter.”

Harry rolled his eyes before going back to his thoughts again. 

A few minutes later, Draco stood up to pick his meal. He didn’t expect the loud gurgling noise that came from Harry’s empty stomach when he started to eat.

“When is the last time you ate, Potter?”

Harry didn’t answer and instead closed his eyes.

“Alright.”

Draco tried to forget about Harry’s hunger but the situation was starting to stop his appetite. He went to find a plate and some cutlery, and after a cleaning spell, he filled up the plate before placing it in front of Harry.

Harry opened his eyes at the sound, and suddenly that strange gaze was back again when he looked at Draco. Without a word, Harry started to eat. 

The next days, at noon Draco would set up a plate for Harry, bringing a different meal every time. The next days, they didn’t exchange any words except for the polite small talk. 

It wasn’t much but a start for both of them. A start for something great, for something better at least.


	3. First cleaning

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For reference for the Black's House, I used the floor plan made by FirePhoenix86.

A week after the arrangement had started, Draco decided to clean the fireplace. Cleaning wasn’t part of his part of the deal but he was the one getting dirty every time he would come and leave.

The cleaning was annoying but magic made it effective and quick. Harry wasn’t paying him much attention, reading the latest edition of ‘The Quibbler’. Once the fireplace was clean, Draco didn’t intend to stop here, and he started to clean the kitchen part of the basement where he used to set down his meals every day. This managed to make Harry raise his head for a moment but Draco was in his mind, feeling almost good by the use of so much magic. 

“Why are you doing that?” asked suddenly Harry when Draco was cleaning the stove.

“Doing what, Potter?”

“Cleaning. That should be my job.”

“Yes, but you’re rather bad at it. And I’ve had enough of the weird smell and disgusting environment.”

Draco could almost see a smile creeping up on Harry’s face before he went back to reading.

The next day, Harry wasn’t asleep when Draco arrived. He was still in his chair nonetheless.

“I thought about it and maybe we could start with a big cleaning, and then a refurbishment. A lot of the furniture is damaged or missing or just too old.”

Draco was so surprised by Harry’s change of mind that he didn’t even mention the fact that he was only here to watch over him and not help. They worked in silence, cleaning the entire basement with spells. Harry mentioned a few times the muggle ways to clean which interested Draco more than he would admit. 

At lunch, they ate in silence; until Harry managed to surprised Draco again with his good mood.

“If I answer your question, you need to answer mine,” he stated like they just had a very normal conversation.

Draco considered the proposition for a second, worried about the question that Harry would ask. He finally let his curiosity took over.

Harry took his silence for approval and put his fork down.

“He used to sit at this very place, every time we would eat here.”

“Sirius?” asked Draco not sure who the ‘he’ was, realizing quickly that Harry had lost more than one male parent figure.

Harry nodded then pretended to think about his question but it was easy to see that he had wanted to ask this since the first day.

“Why did you offered to watch over me?”

“I already answered that. I have nothing better to do.”

“That doesn’t answer the question.”

Draco was tempted to smile because Harry was right. It was only half of the truth.

“You all seemed so desperate for a solution and for a moment... I guess -I guess I forgot that I wasn’t part of the group.”

“So no ulterior motives then?”

“No. I meant what I said after the trial. I don’t want to be that coward boy anymore.”

“It would be so easy though … You could tell the world how miserable and dangerous the saviour is really.”

“But what would it bring me?” asked Draco, smirking.

“Attention. I know how much you miss it.”

“Oh _do you_?”

“Yes, I do. That’s why I never understood you. You wanted attention so badly when I only ever wanted to be left alone.”

Draco was left speechless and he just looked at Harry for a while. Harry met his gaze before eating again.

For the rest of the day, they didn’t speak again but they managed to make the room look as decent as possible. 

Having cleaned the basement in two days, Draco was coming the next day, expecting to clean the ground floor. However, Harry was not in the mood for anything that day.

He laid still on the now clean but still old small couch for the entire day. Only meeting Draco’s eyes for a moment when they ate at noon.

The next day, was no different and Draco was surprised to realize that he was disappointed by Harry’s behaviours. Not wanting to see Granger and the rest of the group come in a hurry, he lied when he sends her a letter that evening. His lie of a ‘motivated Harry trying to cope and trying to rearrange the house’ only made him more upset.

That is why the next day, he went to Grimmauld Place, determined to make Harry move.

“Come on, Potter. No food if you don’t move from that couch,” he said after one long hour at the place.

The bitter laugh that came from Harry almost made him jumped.

“If only you knew, Malfoy.”

That sentence made Draco turn to face Harry who was still laying on the couch looking at the ceiling.

“If you answer, you can ask me another question,” offered Draco.

Harry sat down showing that he agreed to Draco’s proposition.

“What did you mean by that?” asked Draco, feeling his body bubbling with curiosity.

“Let’s just say that I’m used to food-related punishment.”

“How come?”

“That’s another question, Malfoy.”

“You didn’t properly answer the first one.”

“I did… for now.”

Draco sighed before going back to his book. It’s only later that day that Harry finally asked his question, lying on the couch.

“Are you the one cooking these meals?”

Draco immediately furrowed his brows, knowing where his answer would lead the discussion.

“Yes.”

“Can I give you my opinion?”

“No.”

Harry smiled before closing his eyes. When Draco left Harry was sleeping on the too-small couch. Draco thought about conjuring a blanket for a second before changing his mind.

The next day, Harry was in a better mood again. He seemed motivated to take on the ground floor, a motivation that only lasted until they saw the actual state of the floor. Harry explained that the better state of the basement might have been linked to the fact that Kreacher, the house-elf, had clean the kitchen the year before.

Draco wanted to ask about Kreacher but Harry quickly closed the subject.

Leaving Harry in the dining room, Draco was going to the bathroom when he noticed all the portraits on the wall. They were all very old and dusty but they had the same presence as the one in Malfoy’s manor. Strangely, next to the stairs going to the first floor, there were black curtains. Always so curious, he slowly pushed the curtains away only to be face to face with a very realistic painting of an old woman. She opened her mouth before frowning her eyebrows.

“A Malfoy, here, in _my_ house?”

“Who are you?” asked Draco in a wary tone.

“I’m Walburga Black, of course! Your grandfather is my brother.”

Harry came out of the dining room before Draco could say anything else.

“Not screaming, you old hag?”

Draco looked between the two of them, confused by the disgust in Harry’s voice.

It was enough for the old woman to scream some obscenities filled with “traitor” and “dishonour”. Harry had a sly smile before pushing the curtain close with visible difficulty.

“What was-” started Draco before Harry hushed him.

Harry went back to the dining room where Draco followed.

“She liked you,” stated Harry who was now sitting at the broken and dirty dining table.

Draco didn’t answer and only looked at Harry waiting for more.

“You met Sirius’s mother. And as you saw she is very opinionated. She is obsessed with blood purity. Reminds you of anyone?”

Draco frowned not sure if Harry was talking about the Dark Lord or the Malfoy family.

“Every time someone makes too much noise, she just starts to scream and shout insults. Maybe we could start today by finding a way to remove the portrait of the wall.”

They started to talk about all the possible charms that could remove the painting from the wall. They tried a few spells that failed and only made Walburga scream again. Not completely hopeless, Draco decided that he would bring some of his books to help the next day. They then decided to clean properly the bathroom on the ground floor, a sanitary nightmare in Draco’s eyes.

The next two days, they both spend the time separately, Draco was trying to find solutions for the portrait and enjoying some time with his mother, while Harry continued to clean the house.

Finally, when Draco came back the next morning, he had a letter in hand.

“I owled Granger and she had an idea.”

“You are owling Hermione? _You_?”

“Not the subject here Potter. She looked through Hogwarts Library Restricted Section and found a potion that could work.”

“Is that why you are carrying that much … stuff?”

Draco rolled his eyes before laying his equipment on the dining table, that was now clean and in one piece.

Without another word, Draco started to read once again the instructions. He had missed potion brewing. Harry was sitting in front of him, but he tried not to be disturbed. The potion wasn’t easy to make but that didn’t make it less fun. The potion completed, he let a sigh of pleasure and looked at the brewing mixture with a smile. When he looked up he realized that Harry was still watching him, and the strange gaze was back. Draco’s smile disappeared and he started to clean his supplies.

Harry gently took the bottle of the potion Draco had just made, looking strangely at it.

“Let’s try then,” he said standing up once Draco was done.

Draco followed him in the hallway and he took the potion back from Harry’s hand, wanting to do it himself. He opened the curtains, and before Walburga could say anything, he splashed the mixture unto the painting. For a second nothing happened and Draco felt disappointed then suddenly the painting started to melt and bubbles appeared. The face of Walburga started to disappear like someone was erasing her. When the bubbles were gone so was Walburga. The painting was no more, and on the wall was just an empty frame.

“It worked?”

Draco nodded and turn to look at Harry who was smiling brightly looking at the gone portrait.

“It actually worked,” said Draco, feeling rather content.

Harry looked at him, opened his mouth then seemed to realize who he was talking to because he became serious again.

In a silent agreement, they didn’t speak about the portrait for the rest of the day. They managed to clean the hallway and changed the wallpaper and carpet.

That night, Draco had trouble to fall asleep not because of the usual terrifying nightmares but because every time he would close his eyes, he would see Harry’s smile again.


	4. First tears

When Draco came the next morning, he was so tired that he had trouble keeping his eyes open. Seeing Harry asleep on the small couch, made him realize that maybe he was coming too early every morning. He sat down on one of the chairs, hoping that they would soon tackle a floor that had more than one couch.

His short night had been filled with Harry and the Dark Lord. He kept being back at Malfoy’s manor and this time Harry and his friends hadn't manage to flee. He had to watch the Dark Lord ordering him to torture and kill them, and the worst part was that the Draco of the nightmare enjoyed it. He knew he must have woken up screaming because he could still remember his mother trying to calm him. He hated these horrible nights where he was still trapped in the awful world that was once his. 

Draco must have fallen asleep because he suddenly heard a faint noise and realize that Harry was laughing. Still groggy from his nap, Draco didn’t understand what was happening. Suddenly he realised that the noise wasn’t a laugh but sobs. He stood up and kneeled next to Harry who seemed to be having a nightmare, tears streaming on his face.

Draco didn’t know what to do, being usually the one having the nightmares. He tried to think about what his mother or Pansy would usually do. He brought his right hand towards Harry’s head, hesitating. They weren’t friends. But he couldn’t stay here doing nothing when he knew what Harry was going through. So fighting his mind, he finally put his hand on Harry’s head and began to calmly stroke his messy hair. At first, Harry’s was still crying but then slowly he began to relax.  
Draco was awkwardly sitting on the floor, stroking his hair and he realized that he was also humming his mother’s lullaby. It was an old lullaby that his mother would sing to him at bedtime when he was little. Sometimes she would sing it when he was sick too.  
Harry was now calm again, the only remains of the nightmare being the tears marks on his face. Draco knew he should’ve stood up and gone to the table again but he was so tired that he fell asleep on the floor, his hand leaning on the couch.

They woke up in the afternoon. Or Harry woke up and almost stumble on Draco’s body.

“What the hell Malfoy?”

Harry was standing and looking strangely at him. Draco rubbed his eyes and then only noticed that he was on the floor.

“I fell asleep,” he said very calmly, ignoring Harry. He went to take the meal he had brought that day and sat down not wanting to think about what Harry was imagining.

“Alright, I go first. Why were you sleeping on the floor?” Harry asked sitting at his designed chair.

“Next to me,” he added like he knew what Draco was about to say.

“I hate you. You know that, right?”

Harry didn’t expect that because he looked a bit offended.

“You were having a nightmare. I- I ...”

There was no way Draco could explain it without making it awkward.

“I calmed you and then I fell asleep on the floor.”

Harry remained silent for a while and even though Draco wasn’t looking at him, he knew Harry had that strange gaze in his eyes again.

“Did I say something?”

“No,” answered Draco before starting to serve each of them.

Harry seemed nervous during the entire lunchtime and Draco realized that he was worried that Draco was going to use his questions to ask about his nightmares.

“I’m keeping my question for later,” he finally said, because he knew that Harry wasn’t going to be able to focus on anything else if he didn’t know.

Having started the day in such a strange way, Draco wasn’t expecting Harry to offer to continue the clean-up. They spend some time on the staircase, especially getting rid of the numerous shrunken house-elf heads. The first floor had a proper bathroom that wasn’t in a bad state and Draco realized that it might be the one Harry was using these last days. While Draco was cleaning the hallway, Harry started to clean the bedroom. When Draco realized that it was already past his usual leaving hour, he left in a hurry not checking on Harry and only saying a quick “Goodbye”. This was a mistake.

The next day, Draco arrived in an empty basement. Harry wasn’t on the ground floor either. Panic started to come and it’s only when Draco entered the bedroom on the first floor that he found Harry. He was awake. He was trying to change the wallpaper but his hands were bleeding.  
It seemed to be a frequent thing for him to punch walls. The room was clean but messy, probably because of Harry’s rage.

Draco came into the room, coughing to make his presence known.

“Oh, brilliant.”

Draco knew better than to take Harry’s remark personally. He went to Harry and tried to take a look at his hands that were shaking.

“I don’t want your help, Malfoy. Leave me alone.”

“Believe me, I want to. But you’re useless without your hands.”

Harry rolled his eyes before sitting on one of the bed. His mouth a straight line, he was trying hard to calm himself.

“I would ask what the wall did to you but I’m not going to use my question for this.”

Harry looked away when Draco sat next to him. Draco gently took his hands to examine the damage. It wasn’t broken and the blood came only from the superficial wounds. 

Draco began to heal the wound in silent and the sting made Harry turn his head.

“What are you doing?”

Draco looked at him confused before continuing his work. When he was done, Harry’s hands looked good again, and the faint scars would disappear in a day.

“How did you learn that?”

“I learned it by myself. It’s useful when you are living in a house full of crazy, angry and irrational people,” answered Draco before adding “you owe me two questions now Potter.”

Harry didn’t say anything else, instead staring at the wall where his hands had left a trace.

“Why was it a cupboard when we found you?” asked Draco taking advantage of Harry still being awake and present.

Harry hesitated for a while, knowing that he had to answer the question to maintain this little game, but still reluctant to share too much.

“It was my old room in the Muggle family.”

Draco opened his mouth wanting more but he knew this would be counted as another question. Harry stood up, probably guessing that Draco wasn’t going to ask any more question.

“Why were you living in a cupboard?”

Harry stopped in his way to the door to turn back and look at Draco.

“This is another question, you know that?”

“Yes.”

Harry tilted his head to the side then crossed his arm, leaning against the door frame.

“They hated me.”

Draco waited, not ready to accept this short assessment as an answer. Harry noticed that Draco was actually curious so he continued.

“My mother was a Muggle. When my parents were killed I was brought to her sister. My aunt hated everything related to magic, or to her sister. So naturally, she hated me. My uncle was as mean as her. My cousin, Dudley, was raised like a prince, whereas I was raised as a servant. I lived in the cupboard because it was the only place that they were ready to give me. I had nothing. No parents, no friends.”

Draco was once again speechless because he had never imagined this past for the Boy Who Lived. He knew he was raised by Muggles but the thought of a small Harry being raised like a nobody, not even worthy of love, was sickening. Harry waited, almost defying Draco to say something but he couldn’t.

When Harry left the room, Draco finally changed the wallpaper and managed to fix the damaged wall. He then found Harry in the main room on the first floor. Harry was looking at the grand piano, smiling sadly.

“Tomorrow,” he finally said before going back downstairs.

Draco agreed silently, feeling like it wasn’t a good day to tackle the drawing-room of the house. They spent the rest of the day reading.

During dinner, his mother had surprised him with one of his favourite meal. He smiled before he suddenly remembered Harry’s story. He remembered what Harry had told him about using food as punishment. He didn’t felt hungry anymore.  
Feeling pity for Harry was strange and unnatural after so many years of hating each other. But the more he knew about the past, the more he learnt about Harry’s life, the more he realized how little he knew and how wrong everything he assumed was.


	5. First name

The next day, Harry had slept in one of the bed on the first floor and was still here when Draco came. Harry woke up when he heard the door open, and the rapidity with which his hand reached for his wand made Draco uncomfortable. 

Draco held back an apology, closing the door after leaving the room. Draco decided to wait for Harry in the main room on the first floor. The place was very dusty and a lot of debris was on the floor especially some sharp-looking glasses pieces. He realized that big curtains were covering two windows. Once he drew the curtains, he saw that the windows were shattered and a warm wind was coming through it. The light that the windows provided made the room less gloomy but also revealed a part of it. A very large tapestry was on the opposite wall. Draco approached it, fascinated by the way a family tree was represented. 

“Too bad you've used up all your questions, no?”

Draco turned around to see Harry with a change of clothes and his glasses on.

“Indeed.”

Draco had to hold back his fingers from tracing the golden lines and the burned faces.

“Or you could just … tell me,” he said looking back at Harry who was standing at the door frame.

“I could but I like our game.”

Draco rolled his eyes before looking back at the tapestry. He smiled when he saw his name but that smile disappeared when he saw the name of his father. 

“Are you going to help or not?”

Draco didn’t answer, leaving Harry to start cleaning alone. A few minutes passed and Draco could feel Harry getting more and more annoyed. Finally, he heard a loud sigh and Harry was now standing next to him.

“Alright, what do you want to know?”

“What do the burns mean?” asked Draco seeing the hole between his mother and aunt Bellatrix’s names.

“I don’t know everything, but from what Sirius told me, it’s mostly the ones that betrayed the family, or the family values. So blood purity, and all that.”

“I guess I should be burn now then, no?”

“I guess so.”

Draco took out his wand and with a sly smile, he cast a jinx toward the tapestry. A blue flame appeared, leaving only a small black hole where his face used to be.

Harry’s smile disappeared when Draco looked back at him.

“You’re not going to use your question?”

Harry looked surprised before answering:

“Maybe later.”

The smell of burning fabrics quickly left the room once Draco had fixed the windows to properly open them. Harry had given the tapestry a quick clean which made the golden threads shine even brighter. They both looked at it before Harry started to clean the fireplace, and Draco the cabinets. They worked in silence, only hearing the sound of the wind and the few cars passing in the streets. Draco was feeling quite content and he managed to forget everything else for a moment. When he was finally done, he turned to Harry who was almost over with his cleaning too. Harry threw the last cleaning spell and came out of the fireplace. His black hair were now not the only part of his body to be so dark. His entire face was covered with soot and his clothes were so dirty that it looked like he had just walked through clouds of smokes. Draco couldn’t stop looking at him which Harry noticed even with his grimy glasses.

“What?”

“What happened?” asked Draco trying to stay serious.

“What do you mean?” Harry asked throwing a quick cleaning spell at only his glasses.

“You look like hell.”

“Thank you, you don’t look so bad yourself.”

Draco started to chuckle, realising how oblivious Harry was to his own appearance at this instant.

“Look at your clothes.”

Harry finally looked down and saw how filthy his clothes were. He smiled before turning back to look at the fireplace.

“At least it’s clean.”

Draco nodded before going to the musty couch to continue cleaning. He had his back to the fireplace and he didn’t see Harry creeping on him. Suddenly black snow fell on him and he realized too late that he was now covered in ashes. He heard a chuckle and turn around angrily:

“What have you done?!”

“Now we’re matching” answered Harry laughing.

Draco started to cough because of the ashes and some went into his eyes.

“HARRY! I have ashes in my eyes. Stop laughing!”

This only made Harry laugh harder and Draco’s anger couldn’t last hearing such a beautiful sound. When Harry calmed down, he wiped his teary eyes and quickly cleaned himself. Draco did the same and they both sat down on the old couch.

“You called me Harry,” stated Harry once the silence was back again.

Draco looked down, realizing his mistake before Harry added:

“I guess I can call you Draco now?”

Harry was waiting, looking at him and Draco could see his emotions so easily. He was expecting denial but hoping for consent. A strange feeling bubble in Draco’s stomach. He nodded, not trusting his voice.

Harry let out a little sigh, smiling and it was now time for lunch. 

It would be naive to say that something had changed between them but the atmosphere did seem a bit lighter when they ate in silence that day. Draco even forgot that he still owed Harry a question until he decided to use it later on.

Draco was now cleaning the grand piano. Harry was trying to get rid of the strange insects crawling in a corner of the ceiling. The piano was a bit old and definitely out of tunes but once clean, Draco couldn’t resist playing. They had a beautiful grand piano at the manor and he remembered spending hours trying to learn some classical pieces that would make him “look good” during social gatherings, according to his mother. He never complained because he actually enjoyed playing. He felt in control. It was relaxing and exciting to just let your fingers wander on the keys.

He was almost done playing Piano Sonata n°9 “Andantino Con Espressione”, a piece from Mozart when he realized he had an audience. Harry was sitting on the armchair next to the piano, his head resting on his left hand and he was watching intently. Draco finished his part before bowing timidly. Harry smiled and let the room be quiet for a moment before asking his question:

“Do you miss the Malfoy manor?”

Draco had expected a question about his piano abilities so he didn’t have time to hide the way his face became livid. 

Harry was staring at him, not praying but looking genuinely curious. He was waiting for honesty, which was the core foundation of this little game. But Draco was scared to give him honesty because he himself wasn’t ready to deal with it.

“Sometimes.”

Harry knew it wasn’t over but he patiently waited for Draco to organize his thoughts. His gaze was disturbing so Draco looked at his fingers and started to aimlessly hit some keys.

“I don’t miss the horror that I saw and the fear in which I lived. But I do miss my happy memories with my parents, the sense of belonging I had every time I would see the manor, the warmth of the fireplace in the library during cold nights. But I got used to the loss because I lost my home the moment he decided to make it his house quarters.” 

Draco couldn't face Harry so he went to the windows to take some fresh air. He hated thinking about that time when The Dark Lord suddenly made every inch of his home his. He was constantly terrified and he just wanted to leave, run and give up everything. But he couldn’t because he was trapped in his own house, trapped in a nightmare and he was afraid of waking up, afraid of the screams in the middle of the night, afraid to live. He thought about death more than he could admit it. His death, the death of his parents, the death of his friends, the death of the Dark Lord. He thought about it so much that he thought that he was no longer afraid of it but it was a lie because every time someone would be in great danger, in the verge of dying, in front of him, he would suffocate and lose his mind. He could still remember the taste of blood and bile in his mouth when he saw Hagrid carrying Harry’s dead body. No, he would never get used to death.

“Sometimes I wish I had done some things differently.”

Draco turned around and saw that Harry was still sitting on the chair, his eyes closed.

“But even _I_ can’t go back in time …”

Draco could bet he heard Harry murmured “again” at the end of his sentence but he decided to ignore it.

“What would you have done differently?”

Draco heard Harry stand up and come next to him to look outside.

“Be less of a brat. Be more careful. Listen more to my friends and less to some adults. Maybe even shake some hands.”

Draco smiled at the end of his phrase and looked at his right to see Harry staring at the sunny sky. 

“Maybe you did the right thing. Maybe I didn’t deserve to shake your hand.”

“Maybe. Or maybe we were just two dumb kids. One just more pretentious than the other.”

Draco brought a hand to his heart, pretending to be offended. 

“Why did you even wanted to be my friend?”

“The fame obviously,” answered Draco jokingly.

The fame was important to his parents but Harry’s name was too intertwined with the Dark Lord to be a positive connection.

“Honestly, I thought that you needed someone like me,” confessed Draco.

Harry laughed, surprised by the answer.

“So you wanted to help me? I can’t believe that.”

“Why not? I had power, money and good renown. That’s why I didn’t understand how you could say no.”

Harry frowned his eyebrows, taking in the reply.

“Why did you say no? Except for the fact that I was maybe too arrogant.”

“We met before Hogwarts. At Madam Malkin’s.”

Draco let out a little “no” of disbelief before Harry continued.

“And you were mean to Hagrid, the first person that actually cared about me.”

“I said it before but … I’m sorry about that.”

“I believe you,” said Harry before giving Draco a sincere little smile, looking at him with that strange gaze again.

They continued to watch the peaceful street for a while, in silence, before going back to the cleaning.

That night Draco did dream but it wasn’t unpleasant. And when he woke up he could feel it in his chest. Something was blossoming between the two but it was too soon to see if it would be strong to hold against the wind.


	6. First fight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize in advance for this chapter but I live for hurt/comfort.

The next day, Harry wasn’t really in the mood to work and Draco knew better than force him. They sat in a comfortable silence for a while and ate the meal that Draco brought that day, ignoring each other. After lunch, Draco offered to go to the first floor, which was now clean, to just have a better environment. Harry didn’t answer but he did join Draco in the drawing-room. Harry laid down on one of the couch, eyes closed, and his hands behind his head. Draco spent the afternoon playing the piano. When he came home he realized that he had only played soft tunes, lullabies, almost like he was trying to soothe Harry.

When Draco wake up the next day, he realized that it marked already three weeks since he had offered to watch over Harry while he would restore the Black’s house.  
He thought about making something special for lunch but he didn’t trust his still lacking cooking abilities. When he arrived at the House, Harry wasn’t waiting in the kitchen. Draco immediately set down the meal and went, running, upstairs. He found Harry on the second floor. One door was open and Draco almost burst into the room. Harry had open the window and he was sitting on the large double bed, looking at an old piece of parchment that he immediately closed when he saw Draco. 

“What is-” Draco started before stopping in his track, afraid of what Harry might ask him in return.

Harry looked at him until Draco understood that he wanted some privacy. Draco then went into the next room which was a bathroom, a very dirty one again, and he started to clean. Later, once Draco had got ridden of the cockroaches, he went back to the room and saw that Harry was still looking at that odd piece of parchment. It looked like a map. Before Draco could see more, Harry closed it again.

“What?” snapped Harry. 

“Not cleaning again today?”

“Why do you care?”

Draco just rolled his eyes but before he could leave the room, Harry stood up and closed the door with wandless magic.

“Tell me, Draco, _why_ do you care so much about what I do and don’t do?”

“I really don’t, Harry.”

“But you actually do. You’ve been here every day, all day long, staring at me, watching over me. Why?”

“That’s what I’m supposed to do. Don’t flatter yourself.”

“No, _see_ , why do you care about what happens to me? I don’t need you,” he added pointing a finger at Draco. “You’re just trying to feel important. The world doesn’t revolve around your family anymore, and you can’t deal with it.”

Harry had an aura of magic surrounding him and he was almost cornering Draco against the door. Draco was starting to feel his blood boils, which was a strange feeling after months of apathy.

“Say the one who’s been angry at everyone because he doesn’t want to deal with the fact that it’s over.” Draco gulped, trying to contain his anger. “You were supposed to save everyone but too bad you actually sucked at your job.”

Harry was now standing very close to Draco and his teeth were so clenched that Draco expected them to break at any point. 

“I knew it was a mistake the moment you offered it. People don’t change and I don’t need your help. I don’t need you, Malfoy”

“You’re a pathetic joke, Potter.”

“Leave. And don’t come back tomorrow,” ordered Harry before standing back from Draco.

“Don’t worry. I won’t.”

Draco opened the door behind him with a flick of his hand and then left.

When he arrived at his house, his mother was still at work. He immediately went to his room, put down his belongings then he collapsed on his bed and started crying. Everything came back to him, the fear of the Dark Lord, the horror of the war, the exhausting trial, his father going to Azkaban, the pain of his mother, the feeling of loneliness. It was as if he'd finally pulled the plug that had blocked all his emotions for a long time.  
When his mother came back, he was sobbing, exhausted from the hours of crying. She hugged him until he finally felt asleep hearing Harry’s words again and again “People don’t change and I don’t need your help”.

The next morning Draco didn’t move from his bed all day. At some point, he fell back asleep. Sleep wasn’t a relief because it brought too many memories of events he was trying to forget. When his mother came back home, she brought him some dinner in his room and watched him eat. She didn’t ask, perhaps because she was scared or maybe she knew he wasn’t ready yet.

Two more days went by, and Draco wasn’t feeling any better. Old habits die hard. The once hope, he had built after weeks of trying hard to do something of himself, was now gone again. The silence was more oppressing than before but it also meant no risk of fighting, of saying too much, of doing something that might break his nicely polished facade.

On the third day after the fight, his mother decided that it was time, at least for her.

“What happened?”

Draco turned around in his bed, closing his eyes but his mother didn’t leave.

“Draco, please. I’m worried.”

Silence.

“Alright, if you don’t want to tell me, I’m going to ask Mr Potter myself.”

Draco knew blackmail better than anyone but he also knew that his mother was capable of actually going to Harry’s.

“We fought. It’s over. That’s it.”

“What do you mean ‘It’s over’?”

“He doesn’t want me to come anymore”

“I see. But who is watching over him then?”

The thought hadn’t cross Draco mind before. Harry was now alone in this old house, full of painful memories when he was already suffering.

“I don’t know, Mum. And I don’t care. He told me to leave!”

He could feel guilt building up, but he decided to shove it down. Harry had made it clear that he didn’t need him.

“But why did he do that?”

“We fought.”

His mother closed her eyes for a second, and he knew his short answers were annoying her but she was trying to be considerate.

“About what?”

Draco sighed before sitting up to look at his mother.

“He said that he didn’t need me. And that I was just doing this because I missed feeling important.”

His mother looked surprised, probably because it was both bold of Harry and also strangely accurate. Draco did miss everything that came with being a Malfoy, a pure blood. He knew he shouldn’t but it has been his life since he was born.

“Carry on.”

“I said … I said that he is always mad because he can’t deal with the facts that he didn’t save everyone.”

“Dra-”

“Then he told me that he should’ve known that people don’t change and that I should just leave.”

“You left him after that?”

“HE TOLD ME TOO!”

His mother stood up, but she was still trying to hold her composure.

“I’m not blaming you Draco. I’m just trying to see it from both perspectives.”

“Why? You’re my mother!”

“Yes, but I’m also a person that knows how badly words can affect someone. Even when you don’t mean them.”

They stared at each other for a while before she wished him good night, and left the room, taking his plate with her.

Draco didn’t really sleep that night. At some point, he even got tempted to make himself a Sleeping Draught, but he remembered the story of that one cousin who got so badly addicted to it that he fell into an eternal sleep.

The sun was already up when he finally fell asleep. He didn’t hear the light knock on the door and his mother hushed voice.

He woke up, more tired than ever. His head was pounding, and he regretted not taking that Sleeping Draught. He could feel tears falling down his face but he couldn’t remember the nightmare that he just had.  
He turned around, patted his pillow, wanting to fall asleep again … when he felt it. He felt someone’s gaze on him. When he opened his eyes entirely, he saw that someone was in his room. Harry was sitting on his desk chair, watching him.

“Wha- ? Wh-? How long have you been here ?!” Draco stammered, quickly wiping his tears but he knew that Harry had seen them.

“I don’t know. Five or ten minutes.”

Draco turned around again and tried to sleep... Except he couldn’t because Harry bloody Potter was in his room, watching him sleep for no reasons.

“What the fuck Potter?” He suddenly said, sitting up.

Harry jumped, caught off guard. 

“Your mother said I could come into your room.”

“And watch me sleep?”

“Well … You looked- I just didn’t want to wake you up.”

Draco let out a half-hearted laugh.

“Cut the crap, why are you here?”

Harry seemed suddenly very uncomfortable and he stood up, came closer to the bed before changing his mind to go stand next to the door.

“I don’t know.”

“You don’t know? Then leave.”

“Why are you being like this? Why didn’t you come back?”

Draco actually laughed this time before coming out of his bed. Harry looked him up and down and something strange happened to his face for a second before it disappeared.

“ _YOU_ TOLD ME TO LEAVE! AND NEVER COME BACK”

“I was angry! I didn’t expect you to actually listen to me.”

“Oh, so that’s your excuse? You were angry?”

“I was, yes.”

“And now everything is fine, right. Because you said so? Well sorry, but fuck you.”

“NO, FUCK YOU DRACO! I came here, trying to understand. Trying to apologize but you act like an arsehole. And I-”

“YOU TOLD ME THAT YOU DIDN’T NEED ME!”

“YOU … You said that people don’-” Draco couldn’t finish his sentence because he was crying again.

He hated himself for being so vulnerable in front of Harry but he couldn’t hold it. Something about his words had really shaken him. It reminded him of the coldness of his father, the disdain in everyone faces at Hogwarts, the disappointment from the Dark Lord when he didn’t kill Dumbledore, … The fact that no matter what, he didn’t have a choice. He was who he was, and even when he tried to do something right, people would always see him one way and not another.

He turned around, not wanting Harry to see him even though it was already too late. Slowly he felt arms around his backs and a scent that was both familiar and new. His body reacted before his mind could process what was happening and he turned around so that he could be hugged properly. His head was resting against Harry's chest, even though they were almost the same heights. Harry was awkwardly trying to calm him by stroking his back. After a few minutes, Draco finally calmed down and immediately a thousand thoughts went through his mind, making him panic about the situation.

Before he could extract himself from Harry’s arms, he heard him say:

“I’m sorry, Draco.”

Draco had a faint smile and then he felt Harry’s warm arms retract. Trying to keep his head up, he looked at Harry, who was very close to him.

“I’m sorry too, Harry.”

The two young men smiled weakly before putting some distance between them again. For now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you've read this far, please don't hesitate to leave a comment :D  
> Thank you for the kudos !


	7. First night

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The fluff is finally coming.

The next day, when Draco came back to the House, everything was the same, but he felt different. Harry was reading, waiting for Draco in the kitchen. They exchanged an awkward smile, before starting to work. The second floor was waiting for them. In silence, Draco continued his work in the second-floor bathroom while Harry got started in one of the old bedrooms. Draco had missed the House despite its scary and filthy appearance. They worked all day long, not speaking to each other, worried about what they might say or not say.   
The sun was going down when they finished cleaning the last room on the second floor. It was a bedroom with two double beds. Harry, looking exhausted, sat on one of them while Draco was rubbing his dirty hands on his pants. He had long given up dressing nice to go watch over Harry. It was a waste of time, and a waste of clothes too.

“We managed to make it look better than when I stayed here,” suddenly said Harry looking at the room, absently.

“You stayed in that room?”

Harry hesitated before answering.

“Yes, with Ron. It was ‘our’ room, I guess.”

“When?”

“I came here for the first time in the summer. In 1995. We actually cleaned up the house a lot. It kept us busy.”

“And what about the other rooms? Who stayed here?”

Harry closed his eyes for a second like he was trying to remember the different rooms in the House and their habitants.

“I think on the first floor, Hermione and Ginny were together. On the third floor, it was Fred and George, then … Remus. And Mrs and Mr Weasley. Sirius’ room is on the last floor but I don’t think he was really sleeping here.”

Draco was a bit overwhelmed by the information that Harry had just shared freely with him, not expecting anything in return.

“Why did the whole Weasley family stayed here?”

“They were part of the Order.”

“You already mentioned that name before but what is it?”

“It’s complicated, Draco. And useless to know now.”

“Why? I want to learn more about you … and the House, of course.”

Harry smiled before laying on the bed, putting once again – Draco noticed – his arms behind his head. Draco remained silent, waiting for Harry to start, only to realize that he was now asleep. Draco couldn’t help smiling. He took the warm, and now clean, blanket which was at the end of the bed, to cover Harry. He stayed for a second, watching him sleep and he strangely understood why Harry hadn’t woke him up the day before. He closed the curtains before leaving the room. 

His mother didn’t ask why he came home later than usual, instead, she just smiled fondly. When he went to wash his hands before eating, he realized in the mirror that he was smiling stupidly. 

The more they went up the house, the more they found strange dead insects, creatures or unidentified masses. The bathroom especially were real pieces of work. Usually, Draco would be the one cleaning and fixing them up but for the third floor, Harry proposed to help him. The problem was that that day Draco found himself constantly losing his focus because he would instead look at Harry. He would just gaze at him, admiring his features. And every time, he realized what he was doing, he would only feel embarrassment and shame. Harry was an attractive man, but Harry was in a relationship, his former rival, and just not a good idea. So Draco shoved all of this down, and when he came home, he tried to convince himself that if he just didn’t think about it, it would go away. 

The next day, when Draco saw Harry all sweaty in his old Quidditch clothes coming back from a jogging, the feelings he had pushed down came back so quickly that he just stared at Harry speechless, mouth open. Harry, clearly confused, just frowned his eyebrows, said something about a “shower” before leaving the hallway to go on the first floor. Draco sat down in the dining room for a minute processing what was happening to him.

He was attracted to Harry.

Physically -he had to admit- he had always found him attractive. Spending all this time with him, and only him, had just intensified the attraction. He would have to be more careful now because while Harry didn’t know that Draco was gay, and now attracted to him, it would be obvious if he gaped at him again like that.  
The problem was, Draco realized the next day, it didn’t really matter what Harry wore or did. He was now just always very attractive to his eyes. 

They were almost done with the 3rd floor, finishing up the master bedroom. The sun was setting down, and Draco was making the bed.

“Do you like pizza?”

“What kind of question is that?” answered Draco. 

Harry rolled his eyes and helped him put the mended cushions on the bed.

“What if … we ate pizza tonight?” proposed Harry, not looking at Draco, who was standing on the other side of the bed.

“Why?”

“Why not? It’s late, and I thought that we could eat together.”

Draco’s minds screamed at him so loud that it was a miracle that he managed to answer:

“Alright.”

Harry went downstairs and Draco followed, feeling like he was doing a mistake.

“So what do you want?” Harry said while shoving him a colourful piece of paper once they were in the kitchen. 

Draco had tasted pizza for the first time in Hogwarts. So he didn’t know what any of these names on the paper meant. He took some time while Harry was waiting next to the couch. When he finally made his choice, Harry took the piece of paper and left the room in a hurry, almost worried that Draco might change his mind.

While Harry was away, Draco decided to go home to shower, get changed, and warn his mother. 

He was about to leave his house again when his mother asked him the scary question:

“Is this a date?”

“WHAT? No, mum! Why would you even say that?”

“No reasons at all,” she said while looking him up and down.

He sighed before going to the fireplace. He saw her wink just before he was back to the House Black. He waited for Harry in the drawing-room, trying to calm his nerves. It was not a date. Not at all.

Harry finally came back with two hot pizzas. He stopped once he entered the room, balancing the two pizzas in one hand. 

“You changed.”

It wasn’t a question but an affirmation. Harry’s stare made Draco uncomfortable, especially since he wasn’t moving.

“I was getting tired of the dirt.”

“Oh. Oh maybe I should get changed to then,” said Harry, his eyes still locked on Draco.

“No! I mean you don’t have to, it’s fine.”

“Come on, I can’t look like shit when you look … clean.”

Draco had heard the hesitation.

“You don’t look like shit.”

He really didn’t. Despite his signature messy black hair, and his washed-up clothes, Harry still looked handsome.

“Really?” Harry’s smile was a dangerous one so Draco panicked.

“The pizzas are getting cold.”

Harry seemed to come back to reality and he finally entered the room, before putting the two pizzas on one of the couch.

They ate in silence, each sitting on a couch.

“Is Hermione still asking you updates about me?” Harry asked, probably tired of the silence, once he was done with his pizza.

“She is.”

“And are you still lying?”

Draco looked up at Harry who was sitting his legs crossed on the couch, playing with his pizza box.

“I am omitting details.”

Harry chuckled.

“What were you looking at when … you know,” asked Draco putting his empty pizza box aside. He didn’t know if he was right to ask, but their game of questions was over, and he was just curious now.

He saw Harry’s face change and he immediately regretted asking.

“I can’t tell you.”

Draco nodded before looking away. Harry suddenly stood up and left the room. Draco had just ruined everything, and he felt stupid. He should have known that Harry was still not ready. That was until Harry came back in the room, a piece of parchment in his hand. He sat next to Draco and he gave him the parchment.

Draco looked at Harry and then the parchment a few time. He opened the parchment and … nothing. It was blank.

“Is this a joke?”

“I’m not supposed to show this to anyone, but I’ve never been one to follow rules,” Harry said instead of answering Draco’s question.

He took back the parchment from Draco hands before getting his wand and touching the parchment saying “I solemnly swear that I am up to no good”.

Slowly a map began to appear on what was a blank piece of parchment. It was a very detailed map of Hogwarts with the names of the people on the ground. 

“How?”

“Magic,” answered Harry with a smile.

Draco gave him a playful punch before taking the map. It was fascinating.

“Since when do you have it?” asked Draco.

“Since the third year.”

“Who made it?”

“Some very wise men.”

“And they gave it to you?”

Draco couldn’t take his eyes away from the map, following the little names tag.

“No. But that’s not important.”

“Not important? This is so incredible, detailed, and useful, and …”

Draco stopped in his tracks, because he had just found the Slytherin dorms, and he could see the names of his old friends, or at least the ones that had come back to Hogwarts like Blaise. He understood why Harry had been looking at this map recently. He was keeping an eye on his friends, from far away.

“It is very useful even if some elements are missing,” explained Harry. 

“Like what?”

“The Room of Requirement.”

“Is this the reason why you hid here when I- we found you?”

Harry avoided his look but didn’t move away from Draco, their knees still touching.

“I figured that they would use the map and I just didn’t want to be found. But you found me.”

Draco felt the air changed and he was fighting his fight or flight response.

“I know the room pretty well so it seemed obvious.”

“I know that. You used to disappear in it on the map so many times.”

Draco’s brain fried for a second, not believing the idea that Harry was using the map to watch him.

“You _spied_ on me? With the map?”

“It was the only way to know what you were plotting. In sixth year.”

Draco moved away from Harry, mouth opened.

“That is how you found me in the bathroom!”

Harry’s face went white and he moved away too. Draco could understand. The scene still often came back in his nightmares. It was such a messy memory.

“I- I never apologized for that.”

Harry looked suddenly so sombre that Draco instinctively crossed his arms.

“I never meant to hurt you. Or at least not like that. I’m sorry.”

“I am the one who attacked you, Harry.”

Draco couldn’t let Harry take all the blame when he was the one who got so scared by Harry seeing him crying. He was the one who was about to cast an Unforgivable Curse.

“I am the one who injured you, badly. I’m sorry,” Harry said, before coming closer again.

Draco could not only hear but see his sincerity. He vaguely remembered how Harry had run to him while he was bleeding out.

“I forgive you, Harry.”

They stayed silent and Draco noticed how tired Harry looked. He wondered if Harry actually had had a good night sleep in a while.  
Before Harry could say anything, Draco went to the piano and started to play “Wiegenlied” from Brahms. Harry looked at Draco with that strange gaze and he smiled widely before laying down on the couch. Draco played for a while until it was completely dark outside. Harry was sleeping peacefully when Draco stopped. Draco went to grab his things when suddenly Harry turned his head.

“You aren’t going to leave me again, right?” Harry asked sleepily, his eyes still closed.

Draco’s heart stopped and he looked at Harry. He didn’t even think before answering:

“I won’t leave you again.”

Harry seemed pleased by the answer because he didn’t say anything else. Draco, disturbed by Harry’s question, sat down on the opposite couch. He couldn’t leave now but he hadn’t planned on sleeping here. He gradually slouched on the couch before laying down on his side so that he could watch Harry. He knew that fostering his feelings was wrong but it was so easy to just let his mind wander while looking at Harry.  
He fell asleep thinking about a world where he wasn’t a Malfoy, and Harry wasn’t the Savior.


	8. First outing

They hadn’t closed the curtains so the sun woke them up. Draco sat down, frowning because of the bright light. 

“The house is literally full of bedrooms but we slept on couches,” grumbled Draco, trying to ease his back pain.

Harry sat down too and stared at him strangely. Draco raised his eyebrows, and Harry finally seemed to wake up. 

“You slept here?” he asked.

Draco coughed nervously.

“You … you said that I shouldn’t leave you again.”

Harry seemed surprised, which made Draco wonder if he had imagined what Harry had said.

“I don’t remember,” Harry stated but the tip of his ears had turned red.

Draco decided not to dwell on it and he instead went to the bathroom. When he came back, Harry had opened the window and was stroking an owl, while reading the letter it had brought. 

“Hermione and Ron are coming to see me tomorrow.”

“Alright, I’ll come back on Sunday then,” Draco declared putting his shoes on.

“They didn’t say anything about you not being here, so-”

“They hate me, Harry.”

“Well, I used to hate you too, no?”

Draco rolled his eyes before sitting on the couch again.

“Is … Ginny going to come too?”

“No. Why?”

“Aren’t you two a thing?”

Harry didn’t answer, instead, he wrote something on the back of the letter. He attached the parchment back to the owl who waited patiently. When the owl left, Harry closed the window again and said in an uncharacteristically happy voice:

“Let’s eat breakfast.”

Draco followed him to the kitchen where he took out some bread, eggs and rest of bacon. Draco sat down while Harry started to cook. A few minutes went by before Harry said:

“We broke up.”

Draco didn’t know how to react so he said nothing.

“I love her but as a friend not … you know.”

Draco knew what Harry meant.

Harry must have been confused by Draco’s silence because he turned around and looked at him.

“What about you and Pansy?”

Draco made a weird noise before saying:

“She is a good friend but not my type.”

“You did date her, no?”

“Not really? It’s a bit complicated.”

Harry just hummed before going back to the eggs. The case of Pansy Parkinson wasn’t that complicated in all honesty. They had gotten closer, they had kissed and then Draco had realised that he, really, was gay. Pansy took it … well. She seemed hurt at first but it didn’t last.

When Harry was done he set a plate in front of Draco. It looked really good.

“You can cook,” Draco said more as a way to take in the information. 

Harry rolled his eyes before starting to eat. Draco did the same. 

It was probably the best breakfast he ever had. Draco suddenly felt ashamed of the boring and bland meals he had brought every day.

“It’s good?” asked Harry, and Draco realized that he was almost devouring his plate.

“It is delicious.”

Harry smiled, and they continued eating in silence.

“I wish I knew how to cook like that.”

“Your cooking is not … that bad,” carefully said Harry.

“Don’t lie to me.”

“I’m not lying! It’s good but it could be improved.”

“Alright. How?” asked Draco, hoping for a certain answer.

“I could … teach you?”

Draco had to fight back his smile and instead, he pretended to think about it.

“Ok.”

Harry nodded before cleaning his plate.

“We would need to go shopping first.”

Draco raised an eyebrow.

“For some groceries. In a muggle supermarket.”

“I’m going to pass.”

“To learn how to cook, you need to know the products,” Harry explained, crossing his arms.

“Why a muggle supermarket?”

“Because that’s where I go.”

Draco sighed, trying to find a way out.

“I need to go home.”

“Oh. Ok. We can go tomorrow, then,” said Harry looking disappointed.

“I thought your friends were coming tomorrow.”

“They won’t be here all day.”

Before Draco could find other excuses, Harry added: “If you don’t want to cook with me that’s fine, just say it.”

It was the opposite, but Draco was terrified of going outside, in the real world again. He was terrified to see people. And he knew so little about muggles that he was terrified of making a joke of himself, especially in front of Harry.

“No, it’s … I’ll be here tomorrow.”

Draco, afraid of saying too much, cleared out his plate before getting his things. When he arrived home, his mother was just about to leave the place.

“Draco?”

She closed the front door and went into the living room, relieved to see him.

“What happened?”

Draco didn’t know how to phrase it so that she wouldn’t get any wrong ideas.

“I fell asleep. I’m sorry.”

She smiled then went to kiss him on the cheek.

“I hope you had a good time. You’ll have to tell me more tonight, alright?”

He nodded and she finally left.

Draco spent the day trying to read, but he couldn’t stay focused. He was almost craving Harry’s presence.

He felt his stomach ache when he saw that Harry was waiting for him the next day, writing what seems to be a grocery list.

“Ready?”

Draco nodded, trying to look confident.

“I’ll protect you,” said Harry jokingly before putting the list in his jean’s pocket.

Harry wanted to walk to the supermarket, so they walked. Draco didn’t know London as well as Harry apparently, so he followed him diligently. He could feel his heartbeat raise every time someone would look in their directions but he pretended that he was alright in front of Harry. They arrived after a short walk and Harry explained to Draco the menus he had planned. Draco was not really listening, too disturbed and distracted by muggles going in and out of the supermarket.

“Draco? Draco?”

Draco looked back at Harry who was staring at him.

“Are you ok?” he asked, eyebrows frowned.

Draco didn’t immediately answer.

“If you don’t stare at anyone, I promise it’ll be fine. And I’m here,” Harry said putting a hand on Draco’s right shoulder.

Draco’s heartbeat raised again but he nodded and together they went inside the supermarket.

It was … not that bad. Draco mostly followed Harry around, not knowing his way in the numerous aisles. Harry had indeed written a long list and he was shopping while making comments about the various products.  
Draco couldn’t look away from Harry’s face because for once Harry didn’t seem to be the Chosen One or the Boy Who Lived. He was just a man doing something he liked. He seemed so normal.

They were almost over when Harry realized that he had forgotten something. He told Draco to wait for him with the trolley while he would get the missing product. That’s when a nice looking man came next to Draco. At first, it seemed like he was just looking for something next to him but then he looked at Draco and had a small smile. Draco didn’t return his smile but instead arched his eyebrows. 

“I’m sorry were you talking to me?” asked the man. 

Draco stared at him, then looked behind himself to see if the man was really talking to him. Realizing that the man was waiting, he answered “No.”.

“Well then, please start.”

Draco was immediately flustered, not used to being hit on at all. He didn’t have time to say something because he suddenly felt Harry’s presence and he saw that he was back. Harry looked at the man then at Draco, before putting a hand on Draco’s shoulder.

“You alright?” he asked to Draco, ignoring the man.

Draco nodded.

“Oh, I didn’t realize you were taken,” said the man before adding to Harry “you are a very lucky man.”

The man left, leaving Draco speechless and very aware of Harry’s hand on his shoulder. 

“I think we have everything now,” Harry said, not reacting in any way to the man’s words. 

Harry then put the product in the trolley and he started to push it in directions of checkout. Draco was so confused, and a bit flattered too but he didn’t have time to think about it and instead followed Harry, scared of getting lost. 

Harry suggested to only start the cooking lessons the next day so that they would be sure to have time to cook. He was the one making lunch while Draco was pretending to read the Quibbler, troubled by the way Harry had reacted, or actually not reacted at all, at the mention of him being his boyfriend. 

Hermione and Ron hadn’t fixed an hour so Draco was now pacing in the drawing-room while Harry was playing with a strange little artefact.  
Finally, after what felt like forever for Draco, they heard a knock on the front door. Harry went down to welcome them. Draco waited in the hallway of the 1st floor while he could hear them chat and laugh. Harry gave them a quick tour of the basement and ground floor before going up. Draco ran to the drawing-room and sat on the couch, pretending to be just casually hanging out. 

When they saw him, Draco immediately understood that Harry hadn’t told them that he was going to be here.

“Oh hello!” said Hermione, coming to him. He stood up and extended his hand. She looked at the hand, then him and she seemed taken back by the offer. He knew it was stupid since she wasn’t a total stranger but he felt the need to reintroduce himself. Or introduce the real him. He had apologized to her in one of their first letter exchanges but they hadn’t seen each other since then so he didn’t know how she would react. She finally shook his hand before looking back at Ron who was whispering something at Harry. 

Ron felt her gaze and came to stand next to her, a frown on his face.

“Malfoy.”

“Weasley.”

The silence was deafening while they just stared at each other.

“Why is he here, Harry?” finally asked Ron, ignoring the glare of Hermione. She sighed loudly while Harry shrugged.

“Why not?” Harry answered.

“We came to see you, not that … git.”

“Well, I’m here,” added Harry.

Draco could see how annoyed Ron was at Harry’s remarks.

“If he is here, I’m leaving.”

“Ron…” sighed Hermione.

“Are you ser-” started Harry before Draco cut him off.

“Listen, I don’t want to be a bother so I’ll leave. I just want you both to know that I’m sincerely sorry for everything I’ve ever said and done to you. You don’t have to forgive me but please know that I regret every day the choices I made.”

Draco left the room despite Harry trying to hold him back.

He went back to the basement and sat on the couch, his forehead pressed against his bended knees. He knew rejection. It didn’t hurt him anymore but that didn’t mean that he liked it. He stayed like this for a while, wondering if he should just go home or wait. A small part of him hoped that Harry would come for him. He didn’t want to leave because he didn’t want to be alone in his house. The loneliness and the silence of his house were so hard to handle that he decided to stay here, the place that sometimes felt more like home. 

A crack then soft breathing got him out of his thoughts. He looked up and saw Harry. He looked worried and he came to sit next to him.

“Ron want to speak with you. But I thought it was better if I went to look for you.”

Draco didn’t answer instead just resting his chin on his knees, looking at the clean kitchen.

“There is something oddly comforting about this room, no?” asked Harry looking in the same directions as Draco.

Draco knew exactly what he meant. He unfolded his legs before standing up. Harry stood up too and together they went back to the 1st floor. Ron and Hermione were seating on one couch and automatically Harry sat on the other one, leaving just enough room for Draco. The silence settled before Harry said: “Ron?”

Ron looked at Harry then Draco, fidgeting with his fingers.

“Listen, Harry told us how much you’ve helped him. And apparently, you’ve changed too which is … good. So I don’t know about forgiving-” Ron started, Hermione looking at him nodding “but I guess I can give you a second chance.”

Draco’s first instinct was to laugh and thank him for the pity, but then he thought back about what Ron had said and a second chance was everything Draco could have asked for. Draco smiled then stood up, came closer to Ron who flinched at the proximity, and he extended his hand.

“Hello, I’m Draco Malefoy.”

Ron smirked before standing up too.

“Hi, nice to meet you. Ron Weasley,” Ron said before shaking Draco’s hand. Draco sat back and he saw that Harry was smiling. He knew better than to let his feelings get the best of him right now but he smiled back, his heart warm knowing that Harry was thankful for his help.  
Hermione started to talk about one of the new teachers at Hogwarts and Draco laid back on the couch next to Harry. He could get used to this. He really could.


	9. First lesson

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We are so close to the end ! I added some layers (or headcannons) to Harry's sixth year obsession with Draco because why not :D

Draco had once again had a terrible night, filled with nightmares and tears so he was really tired when he came that next day. It was Sunday and if it had been for any other matter he would not have gotten out of his bed. He had brought a notebook, his quill and ink so that he could maybe write some advice down. When he arrived, Harry was not in the kitchen so Draco wandered a bit and heard a voice. A humming voice. He followed it and it leads him to the 2nd-floor bathroom. Harry was humming, probably a muggle song that Draco didn’t know but it was nice to listen to. At some point, he stopped so Draco decided that it was the right time to leave except that Harry was apparently done because he opened the door just when Draco had turned his back.

“Draco?”

Draco turned back, knowing that there was no way out.

“What were you-”

“I was trying to find you,” he said as calmly as he could. 

He was trying to be indifferent but it was impossible because Harry was standing right in front of him, shirtless with his hair still wet. Draco was avoiding Harry eyes, looking instead at the nice landscape painting behind him. 

“I’m – I’ll wait in the kitchen,” he added before going down as fast as he could. He was the one in need of a shower now.

He sat down at the kitchen table and got his things out, scribbling on his notebook to calm himself. Harry came in a few minutes later, with a grey shirt on. He sat in front of Draco, staring at him. 

“What?” snapped Draco after two seconds.

“Coffee?” asked Harry.

Draco nodded and he understood that Harry had seen the shadows under his eyes. After Draco’s second coffee of the day, he felt a bit more ready. Harry had planned to teach him how to cook a Shepherd's Pie. It was the very first meal Draco had ever brought and he was curious to see Harry in action.  
  
In the end, Harry was mostly the one cooking while Draco would just watch, write down some advice and once in a while help a bit. Despite the quite large kitchen, Harry would often bump into Draco or have their shoulders touching without seeming to care. On the opposite, Draco was feeling his cheeks flush every time and he was beating himself up for how childish his reactions were.   
Harry was a very good teacher, at least to Draco, and seemed to enjoy explaining the way he was cooking. When the pie was in the oven, Draco finally relaxed because he could put space between him and Harry again.

“I thought we could bake a Treacle Tart this afternoon,” suggested Harry while washing his hands. 

“Your favourite,” said Draco, realizing his mistake too late.

“Yes... how do you know that?” asked Harry smirking.

“Everyone knows that.”

“ _Sure_ ,” Harry muttered before leaving the room.

Draco had to refrain from actually hexing himself. He was doing a terrible job at hiding his feelings, and his past obsession nonetheless.  
Harry came back with his newspaper and a letter. He sat down opposite to Draco who was now reading the book he had brought with him. It was an old book about alchemy his mum had bought from the antique shop. The writing was very small and sometimes incomprehensible but he didn’t mind the challenge. Later that day, after eating their delicious pie, they baked and without surprise, Harry was also a fantastic baker. Draco old self would have boiled in jealousy seeing Harry being so talented but right now he was just amazed. He was constantly learning something new about the one he thought he knew. 

The next day and the day after that, they cooked and baked again. Between cooking and baking, they would read and just enjoy each other company, at least on Draco’s side. On Wednesday, Harry wanted to bake something he had never tried before, a Victoria Sponge Cake. 

“It’s my favourite dessert” said Draco while he was washing his hands. 

“I know” stated Harry getting the ingredients out of the fridge. 

“How?” asked Draco, confused. 

“Everyone knows that.”

“No, that’s not true. How do _you_ know?” 

Draco had recognized his own words, but he was too surprised to play along. 

“I’m not sure I want to tell you. And, I mean, you didn’t tell me how you knew my favourite dessert,” said Harry putting down the mixing bowl. 

“I’m sure every witches and wizard knows your favourite dessert. There are literally hundreds of articles about all the stuff you like and dislike.”

“Why were _you_ reading them?”

“Always know your enemies weaknesses,” explained Draco, smirking.

Harry rolled his eyes before opening a parchment. On it was written the recipe for a Victoria Sponge Cake. The writing was very sloppy and Draco managed to read the post-scriptum “PS: The house-elves were not happy to see me. Why are you baking Malfoy’s favourite dessert?” before Harry snatched the letter from his eyes. 

“I’m waiting,” said Draco crossing his arms, putting on the side of his mind the fact that Harry had asked someone to go ask the school house-elves to have the recipe of his favourite dessert. He would freak out about that later. 

“You remember how I told you that I was spying on you during the sixth year?” started Harry, seemingly very interested by the eggs in front of him. Draco was leaning against the counters, nodding. 

“I was so worried you were planning something ... And I was right by the way. You were planning something. But I was so worried that you were planning something that I started to write down some stuff about you. Like where you would go after class, or who you would hang out with, or what you would eat.”

Draco just stared speechless at the back of Harry’s neck, because Harry was still not looking at him.

“I stopped after Hermione and Ron told me that it was getting too much. But I noticed that you would eat that dessert often, and I- I mean that’s it.”

Draco wanted to kiss Harry, right now. Instead, he just stared at him for a little while longer before Harry finally turned around. His ears were red and he threw a look at Draco, almost defying him to make fun of him. 

“Do you still have these notes?”

“No. I burned them. Hermione and Ron made me burn them. For good reasons.”

Draco nodded, his throat and mouth very dry. He left the room and went to the bathroom upstairs. When he came back, Harry was waiting for him, reading the recipe again and again. 

“Let’s start” said Draco, trying to ignore Harry’s stare. 

They baked in silence. Harry let Draco assemble the cake, and Draco slowly forgot everything else to focus only on the amount of strawberry jam he was putting on top of the sponge cake. Once they were done, Draco cleaned the mess and Harry suggested to go upstairs, in the drawing-room. 

“We should continue tomorrow,” said Draco sitting on one of the couch, looking at the fireplace.

“Continue?”

“Cleaning. If you ever want to actually finish the house.”

He wanted to continue their work because once the house cleaned, he would be, technically, free from his duty. Which meant no more hanging with Harry which meant that he would finally be able to move on with his feelings. Yet, strangely, he wasn't happy about it or relieved. He enjoyed the time that they spent together, he liked going out of his house every day to actually do something, he loved the fact that he had felt more alive these last few weeks than he had in the rest of his life. So perhaps he wanted the house to have another five, ten or a hundred floors so that this arrangement wouldn’t come to an end. All of this was confusing.

Harry nodded, sitting on the other couch.

“But thank you for the cooking and baking … lessons. It was nice,” added Draco, still not looking at Harry.

It was getting harder and harder to be near him, let alone look at him.

“It’s nothing.”

“How did you even learn how to cook?” asked Draco.

The air seemed to shift and Draco finally turns his head to see Harry looking very uncomfortable. 

“I had too,” Harry said very quietly.

“Your muggle family?” asked Draco in a very quiet voice too. Harry nodded, he crossed his legs and started to scratch his covered arms.

“Once I was old enough they … they quickly realised that I could be of use to them. So I had to learn how to cook, and clean, and do all the tasks that they didn’t want to do. My cousin was always hungry so I had to get good really quickly. And his appetite was so important to his parents that I would mostly eat leftovers if there were any.”

As always when Harry would talk about his muggle family and past, Draco would feel not only pity but anger. He grew up with house-elves, he didn’t know what chores were. Yet a little boy, like him, had to learn everything by himself just to not be punished, to have a place to stay.

“Is that why you said that you were used to food-related punishment?”

“Not really … It’s - Every time I acted badly, or if something unusual happened around me, they would lock me in my room without eating.”

“Your room under the stairs?”

Harry nodded. Draco could see the anger and pain on Harry’s face. He could feel his own anger bubbling and he wanted to ask where does these disgusting people where living now but instead he said: “I’m sorry.”

Harry furrowed his brows and Draco added: “You didn’t deserve that. Nobody would deserve that.”

“You don’t choose your family,” said Harry which made Draco chuckled in approval. 

Harry seemed reluctant to clean the next day and Draco didn’t understand why immediately. Once on the 4th floor, he finally remembered whose rooms were here. Harry went to the first one who belonged to Regulus Arcturus Black. The room was full of dust and seemed strangely empty but it wasn’t one of the worst room and they managed to clean it entirely before lunch. 

They ate in silence even though Draco wanted to ask about Regulus. He only knew that it was Sirius’s younger brother and he had figured that he was dead. He wanted to know more but he could see it on Harry’s face that it wasn’t the right time. When they went back upstairs, Harry looked almost sick and Draco knew he had to say something.

“We can do the bathroom if you want?”

Harry turned to look at Draco and for a moment he had that strange gaze again. He nodded and they cleaned the last bathroom of the house which was probably the filthiest. It was clear nobody had used it in a very long time. The room was clean once they were done with it but it still looked off, almost like it wasn’t made to be ever used again.   
Draco got his things, ready to leave but he was conflicted because he could see that Harry was still hurting. 

“Do …” he was too afraid to finish his question. Harry barely looked at him before leaving the kitchen.

His mum was reading in the living room when he came home. He must have had a strange look because she asked him to sit down.

“Is something wrong?” she asked, putting down her book.

“I don’t know.”

She gave him a look.

“We started cleaning Sirius’s floor and … Harry just seemed so sad and hurt and I didn’t really feel like leaving him but I didn’t want to ask if he wanted me to stay.”

“Why?”

“Because…”

His mum waited then she smiled and let out a small “I see”.

“As a friend, if you think Harry might need you, ask him.”

“But what if he says no?” asked Draco.

“Then you have to respect that while making sure that he knows you’re here for him.”

Draco nodded before hugging his mum. 

As suspected, Harry was laying on of the couch in the drawing-room. Draco knocked on the open door so that Harry would know he was here. Surprised, he got up and seemed confused as to why Draco was back again.

“Do you want me to stay?” asked Draco, his hands shaking in his pants pockets.

Silence.

Draco could hear his fast heartbeat, the wind banging against the windows, Harry’s slow breathing.

Harry finally opened his mouth to say “Yes” after what felt like an eternity.

Draco refrained from smiling and instead went to sit on the other couch. They sat there in silence before Harry asked if Draco could play the piano. Draco, happy to help in any way, nodded and he started playing some slow composition. It was nice for a while until Draco realized that he was hungry so he offered to cook. 

Draco went down and was joined a few minutes later by Harry who sat down at the table, watching him cook. Draco was making mac’ and cheese, not really inspired to try something fancy. Once it was done he gave a plate to Harry and somehow it felt like they were back to square one having the silent meal that Draco had made, both too scared and in pain to say anything. 

After doing the dishes, Harry seemed surprised to see that Draco went back upstairs again. 

Draco went to sit down on one of the couch again, wondering if he should stay the night. He smiled sadly at how natural it felt to just stay and relax in this house. He would miss it. Harry came to sit down next to him which made Draco’s train of thoughts stop immediately. Harry looked really tired now. He slowly leaned toward Draco before finally resting on his shoulder. Draco, not knowing what to do, pretended that everything was fine.

He could hear Harry’s breathing getting more regular before he finally fell asleep. Harry’s peaceful breathing worked like a lullaby for Draco and he fell asleep shortly after, the ghost of a smile on his face.


	10. First kiss

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally, I know ! The slow-burn is coming to an end :D Enjoy.

Draco woke up to hair tickling his nose. He realised that Harry was now laying on his chest and his left arm was around Harry’s body.   
Draco didn’t move, not wanting to wake him, dreading the moment Harry would see their positions, and what it might imply.   
Draco suddenly felt Harry shift completely to now lay on his back, still against Draco’s chest. Harry didn’t say anything instead he took Draco’s left arm which made Draco heartbeat rise. Harry’s soft touch on Draco's arm made him forgot for a second what was hiding behind his long shirt sleeve until Harry stopped his movements. Draco had always made sure that he was wearing long sleeves so that his Dark Mark remained hidden for him and others. It was hard to have a constant reminder on your body of what kind of person you were.

“Did it hurt?” asked Harry quietly. He was still holding Draco’s left arm, and Draco could imagine Harry’s eyes staring at the scar.

“Yes.”

“Why did you do it?”

Such a simple question yet Draco had never really thought about it. It was what was expected of him. So he did it.

“I had to.”

Harry remained silent so Draco continued.

“After my not so successful task, a lot of followers were still not taking me seriously. I had to prove my allegiance or … “

“I was there, you know,” said abruptly Harry who was now gently rubbing the scar.

“What do you mean?”

“When you … when you were supposed to kill Dumbledore.”

Draco couldn’t just hear such a revelation while hugging Harry. He got away from Harry who almost fell down from the sudden movement.

“If it’s a joke-”

“It’s not. I was with him that night. He told me to go find Rogue and then you came in. I hid and he threw a spell at me so that I couldn’t move, or talk.”

Draco just stared, speechless, at Harry who was sitting on the couch. Harry had his shirt slightly lifted and his hair were a mess and his eyes looked a bit puffy behind his glasses – Draco stopped his train of thoughts to come back to the important matter.

“How can you even look me in the eyes?” Draco asked, feeling his stomach knot.

That seemed to confuse Harry because he stood up as well.

“I saw you lower your wand.”

“You don’t know what would have happened.”

“And you do?”

They stayed silent for a while. Draco felt sick thinking back of this night where he had felt like his whole world was collapsing. He didn’t know anymore if he had even wanted to kill Dumbledore but he knew that he hated how close he had come to.

“Dumbledore himself knew you wouldn’t do it,” said Harry shaking his head. 

“He was bluffing. He was trying to mess with me.”

“Maybe. Or maybe he actually believed what he said. That you could be saved. Is it so wrong to think that he was right?”

Draco felt suddenly so vulnerable and weak that he had to sit down. Harry was clearly implying that he believed Draco deserved a second chance. It felt surreal to hear that from the one person he needed it the most. 

“Do you actually believe that?” asked Draco in a very quiet voice.

“Yes,” said Harry nodding gently.

Once again, Draco wanted to kiss Harry. Instead, he just went to hug him very tightly which caught Harry by surprise. The hug lasted maybe a bit longer than the norm but Draco needed it. 

During breakfast, Draco offered to clean Sirius’s room by himself but Harry refused and said that he needed to do it. So that’s what they did. It took them some time because Harry would occasionally stop to look at some objects or pieces of junk a bit too long. Draco didn’t say anything and instead tried to be as supportive as he could, even though every sad smile and every teary eye were like a small jab at his heart. When he came home, finally, his mum didn’t ask much details but she seemed to understand everything anyway. 

Draco didn’t want to go. He didn’t want to clean the last floor. He had decided to stay in his bed and wallow. It had worked for a while until he felt guilty for not even warning Harry about his absence. He wrote a letter to him. He still felt guilty so he wrote another to Pansy, and another one to Blaise. He hadn’t answered their letters for the whole summer.

Draco was done cooking when he heard a noise in the living room. Harry was standing there, putting his glasses back on his nose.

“What are you doing here?” asked Draco. 

“I got your letter.”

“And?”

“I was worried.”

Draco felt his cheeks flushed so instead he went back to the kitchen to make sure he had turn off the gas. Harry followed him in the small kitchen.

“We only have the attic left.”

“I know,” answered coldly Draco.

Draco could see that Harry didn’t understand and he couldn’t blame him. Draco served his meal on a plate then looked at Harry. He got a second plate. Harry sat down and they ate together. 

Draco had to admit that the moment he had seen Harry, he had immediately felt better. Perhaps that’s why he agreed to come with him and clean the attic once they were done eating.

The attic was big but not really furnished. They still spend a lot of time cleaning and getting rid of dead bugs and other creatures. Once they were finally done, Draco noticed how Harry was standing awkwardly, looking at the room. 

“I can’t believe we did it,” said Harry sighing.

Draco smiled sadly before magically getting rid of the dust on his pants.

“I’m glad I could help you.”

“I’m glad too,” said Harry smiling before adding “Quicker than what I imagined.”

“You underestimated me,” said Draco tilting his head. Harry had that strange gaze on his face again and the very low lightning made his eyes darker than ever.

“Thank you for helping me.”

Draco smiled, coming a bit closer to Harry. It almost seemed like Harry was not thanking him only for the house cleaning. 

“I had nothing better to do.”

“ _Sure_ ,” whispered Harry rolling his eyes.

They were standing very close to each other now in the middle of this old quiet attic. 

“What are you going to do now?” asked Harry.

“I don’t know yet. You?”

“I don’t know either.”

Silence. Draco could feel the tension between them and was hoping that he wasn’t imagining everything, especially the way Harry’s eyes kept going down to his lips.

“Maybe we could find another house to renovate,” said Harry softly.

“Why? You’re finally going to get rid of me.”

“I don’t want to” whispered Harry and Draco was now so close that he could feel Harry’s breath tickle his nose. He could hear his heartbeat rising, and he could see better than ever every detail on Harry’s face. Harry seemed to be in a battle with himself so Draco whispered back “Me neither.”

Harry finally indulged and he closed the gap between them. The kiss was so gentle that Draco didn’t believe it was happening at first. Then he let his hands wander to Harry before pulling him closer. He smiled when Harry’s right hand gently went through his hair, before deepening the kiss. Draco’s mind was so full of thoughts, his heart was beating so fast and he was so aware of every touch that he thought he was going to faint but he didn’t. Harry kept on kissing him again and again and every time they pulled apart for air, Harry would immediately pull Draco closer. It was intoxicating and Draco didn’t know how long they kissed like that but he knew that he had never experienced so many happy emotions at the same time. 

At some point, Harry must have finally realized what was happening because he stopped. He didn’t let go of his hands on Draco’s neck which made the later relieved. Draco had never seen Harry so flushed and his eyes were so dark that they almost looked black. Draco smiled and Harry smiled back. 

“I won’t leave you again,” promised Draco.

Harry smiled, a smile Draco had never seen before of his face.

“I won’t leave you again,” said Harry back.

Everything felt different after the kiss. It was time for Draco to go home but he was scared to do so. He got his things and once in front of the Floo, he looked back at Harry.

“I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Draco nodded then he came closer to kiss him because he could. It was probably a mistake because a few minutes later they were still kissing, Draco almost laying down on the table.

Draco finally came home, late for dinner, and looking really dishevelled. His mother arched an eyebrow, a habit Draco had gotten from her. He didn’t say anything and instead just smiled. When he was getting ready for bed, he was still smiling and he realized that he just couldn’t stop because he was so happy. Pure happiness was so exhilarating that he felt invincible. He wondered if Harry was feeling that way too. He was already missing him. He closed his eyes, trying to focus on Harry’s smile after they had kissed, in hope of finding him in his dream.


	11. First celebration

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here it is, finally. The last chapter. We finally get to know what the 'strange gaze' means and we also get to why some characters are tagged ... Enjoy !

Before leaving the place, Draco left a note telling his mum that he would not come back before the next day. It was probably earlier than usual when he arrived because Harry was nowhere to be found. Draco immediately started to panic but continued to search for Harry. He found him on the 2nd floor in one of the biggest bedrooms of the house. Harry was still sleeping so Draco walked away as quietly as he could and instead he went downstairs again to cook Harry's breakfast. 

When Harry finally came down, he surprised Draco, who was mixing the beans, by back hugging him. Draco felt his body melt under Harry’s touch but he managed to continue what he was doing. Harry sat down and opened some letter while Draco absently put bread in the toaster. 

“Is it alright if I stay here tonight?” asked Draco when they had both started to eat.

Harry looked up from his plate then smiled.

“Of course.”

After breakfast, they went in the drawing-room, once again, where Harry asked Draco if he could teach him how to play the piano. Draco knew how to play but teaching was not something he was used to, at all. He tried to explain the different keys but it ended with Draco’s hand on Harry’s so that Draco could guide him playing.

Harry had offered Draco to sleep with him in the big bedroom with the kings' size bed. He was already laying in bed, playing with his watch when Draco came into the room after showering, buttoning up his pyjama top.  
Harry looked up and Draco saw the way Harry's eyes went to look him up and down before stopping at his still bare chest. Suddenly something shifted in Harry’s eyes. Draco stopped in his tracks and furrowed his brows. Then it hit him. Harry’s face had become livid when he had seen the multiple scars on Draco’s torso, and the one up his neck. Draco came closer to sat down on the bed and he saw the way Harry was still staring at the scars. Draco’s right hand gently caressed Harry’s cheeks and he said, smiling softly “I said I forgive you, no?”

Harry said nothing but his eyes came back to Draco’s face.

“I always thought that it had completely healed,” whispered Harry.

“It has. The cuts on my face where the first one Severus healed so they didn’t leave any marks.”

“But-”

“Scars are reminders but you learn to live with it. You of all people know that.”

Harry sighed before putting down his glasses. Draco put his arms around him to bring him closer, needing to be sure that Harry would not indulge in his consuming remorses. Harry’s head ended up against Draco’s chest again while Draco’s left hand was gently playing with his hair. It was raining outside which was creating a nice and calm atmosphere. Time passed and neither of them knew which ones felt asleep first, still glued together, too scared to let go.

Draco woke up to Harry looking at him, smiling softly. Draco smiled back, before running a hand through his hair. His hair was starting to be quite long, at least longer than it had ever been.

“I was always so jealous of your hair,” confessed Harry in a low voice.

“My hair?” asked Draco chuckling in disbelief.

“Yes. They were always so nicely combed and looked so soft … while mine looked like a birds nest.”

“Your messy hair makes you look even more attractive, what are you talking about?”

“You find me attractive?” asked Harry, moving back to sit on the bed.

Draco refrained himself from sighing because he could see on Harry’s face, that the question was genuine.

“Yes. Harry, you are the most attractive and handsome man I’ve ever seen.”

Harry blushed slightly and he shifted on the bed, uncomfortable. Harry looked at Draco with a mix of surprise and wonder and … that was it, that was the strange gaze that Draco had seen so many times before. Harry was looking at him with **awe**.  
Draco was too shocked to say anything else so instead he just pulled Harry toward him, cherishing the new knowledge and the warmth of Harry. 

Productivity wasn’t on their mind during the next few days that they spend together. Draco would barely come home, only to quickly see his mother and get a few pair of clothes. Draco knew that maybe it was going too fast but it just felt so natural that he didn’t want to go against it just for the sake of societal normality. They went back to the muggle supermarket, and it went great this time. They cooked and baked and it would most of the times end with them kissing. They would talk and talk for hours about old memories, not trying to avoid the bad ones because they were important to address too. Harry was looking happier and healthier than that second day of September and Draco realized that he was happier and healthier too.

It had been already a week since their first kiss when Harry suggested that they invite everyone to celebrate the house renovation. Draco was immediately excited until he remembered that nobody knew about them, and their relationship.

“What about us?” he asked looking up to see Harry’s face. Draco was laying down, his head on Harry’s legs.

“What about it?”

“Nobody knows, Harry. I mean except my mum, she probably knew before I did.”

“We could hide it. But I don’t think I want to.”

“Me neither,” stated Draco.

Draco didn’t want to start leaving in shame and fear again. With Harry next to him, confronting a bunch of acquaintances and old rival didn’t felt impossible. With Harry next to him, he was ready to be himself.

Harry leaned to kiss him then he wandlessly conjured parchments and a quill.

“Let’s start the invitation then.”

They decided to throw the party in a week, on the 24th of October. Harry wrote a few, or maybe a lot, of letters to his friends before Draco asked if he could invite some of his friends too.  
Pansy and Blaise had answered to his apology letters. Pansy was pissed because of the silent treatment but he knew that she wasn’t actually mad at him. Blaise was strangely worried for Draco and he had sent him a package full of sweets, just in case.

“Are you sure it’s a good idea?” asked Harry.

“No. But I want you to meet them.”

“Why?”

“Because they are important to me,” explained Draco, smiling softly.

Harry inhaled loudly before nodding so Draco took some parchment and wrote two letters. They both sent their letters the next day thanks to an excited group of howls. 

Nervous, Draco was pacing in the kitchen, watching Harry finish the last touch on the Victoria Sponge Cake.

“Having second thoughts?” asked Harry putting the beautiful cake on the side. Draco was feeling so anxious that even that cake was making him nauseous.

“Maybe we should have start with just one or two people to see the reaction?” said Draco, closing his eyes.

“Scared, Malfoy?”

Draco, surprised, opened his eyes and chuckled. Harry was in front of him, a grin on his face.

“You wish.”

Draco leaned over to kiss him when they heard a loud knock. Harry threw a look at Draco meaning “Ready?” to which Draco answered with a fake smile.

Almost everyone was here now, chatting and laughing in the dining room. Only Pansy and Blaise were late, which meant that nobody was expecting them. Draco was sitting nervously next to Harry and Hermione. She was trying to include him in the discussion that she was having with Luna but Draco was in his own little world, anxiety bubbling in his knotted stomach. Ron was telling a funny story to Harry, Dean and Seamus. Ginny was listening to Neville but she kept glancing at Luna. Everyone was so happy while Draco was slowly feeling like an outsider. They all, except Hermione and Ron had seemed a bit startled to see him here too, especially seeing him welcome them with Harry. Neville was probably the most affected because he hadn’t looked at him in the eyes once since he arrived.  
Draco jumped when he heard a knock on the door. He exchanged a glance with Harry before going to welcome the last guests. 

“Draco!” shouted Pansy, jumping at him and hugging him tightly. He admitted that he had missed this. She was a great hugger but not a lot of people had the privilege to know that. Blaise was standing awkwardly next to her. When she finally let go, Draco went to shake Blaise's hand but instead, Blaise hugged him too. That was a first.

“You’re late” said Draco once he was free again.

“You know why” stated Blaise before sighing, looking at Pansy.

“I had to look my best so that I could dazzle all of Potter’s friends.”

“Harry’s fine,” suddenly said Harry who was now standing next to Draco in the hallway.

Pansy looked him up and down before saying “Thank you for having us.”

“It looks very nice,” added Blaise extending his hand that Harry shook.

“Nobody is expecting you,” admitted Harry smiling.

“The best kind of party, then,” said Pansy before entering the dining room.

The room immediately went quiet.

“Why is she here?” asked Ginny, breaking the silence.

“I invited her,” said Draco faking confidence.

He saw the way Neville was fidgeting, the intense silent eyes discussion between Hermione and Ron, and he was expecting Ginny to retort when Luna stood up and came next to them.

“I like your dress,” she said to Pansy which made the Slytherin smile widely.

This must have been enough to calm the Gryffondors because they all went back to their conversations except for Neville who quietly left the room.

Draco followed him and found him upstairs in the drawing-room. He was sitting on one of the couch, breathing loudly.

Unsure of what to do, Draco came closer and gently said:

“Are you ok?”

Neville looked back, surprised, with teary eyes. He was probably expecting Draco to make fun of him because he stared at him for a while before stating:

“So … so it’s not just an act.”

“An act?”

“That’s what, well, everyone thought.”

Neville probably saw the confusion on Draco’s face because he added:

“They thought that you were pretending to have changed. Probably that it was part of some plan or something.”

Draco could see that his presence was scaring Neville because when he came closer, Neville immediately stood up.

“I’m not acting,” admitted Draco, crossing his arms. He knew it would take time for others to see that he wasn't the same anymore. 

Neville frowned, taking a few steps back.

“I’m not proud of who I was, and what I did. I was mean and a bully to you. I’m sorry Neville.”

Neville narrowed his eyes, taking in what Draco had said.

“Ok,” he whispered.

They looked at each other for a few more seconds before Neville left the room. This time Draco didn’t follow him and instead went back downstairs where Luna was still talking to Pansy. Ginny was looking at them, barely blinking.

Draco sat down next to Harry who when he saw him reached to take his hand before holding back.

Now that everyone was here, it was only a matter of time before they could tell everyone about their relationship. Harry finally suggested to eat and Draco, sweating, followed him in the kitchen to help.

With the help of magic, they carried everything up to the dining room. Harry and Draco had spent the entire day cooking to make sure that at least the food would be a success. 

Everyone was salivating, ready to serve themselves when Harry stood up, smiled at Draco and announced:

“Before we eat, um … there is something I- well, we… we need to tell you.”

Draco swallowed loudly and stood up too. Everyone was quiet again, looking at them with furrowed brows. Harry took Draco’s hand is his before saying:

“We are ..” Harry cleared his throat before adding “dating”.

It was the first time either of them had used the word and while it was obvious, it still made Draco heart jump a little. His heart then went back to a very fast pace that Draco could hear in his head. Nobody was speaking and Draco just wanted to curl up in a ball and disappear. He could feel Harry’s hand shake in his which made him seriously consider to Disapparate with Harry.

“Draco? Is this true?” asked Pansy with a sly smile.

Draco nodded and he felt a bit relieved because he could see that she was not mad but amused. 

“Since when?” asked Hermione rubbing her eyes.

“Two weeks,” answered Harry in a very low voice.

Hermione looked away.

“Two weeks?” blurted Ginny, with wide eyes.

“Why him, Harry? Why?” asked Ron pointing his finger at Draco.

Before Harry could answer, Blaise asked:

“Don’t act more stupid then you are, Weasley. It was painfully obvious all these years.”

Pansy agreed, sighing loudly.

“Ob-obvious?” asked Ron.

“It kinda was” admitted Dean.

“You did always talked about him” realized Ginny.

“I- I didn’t. We were rivals. It was different” explained Harry but Draco could see his cheeks getting flushed.

Hermione and Pansy both rolled their eyes. Ron still seemed to be completely shocked by everything.

“Are you happy Harry?” asked Neville in a quiet voice.

Harry looked at Draco before smiling.

“Yes I am,” answered Harry.

“Good then”

“I’m happy it all worked out,” said Luna.

“Wait-” started Ginny before narrowing her eyes.

Luna glanced sideways, smiling.

“I’m the only one here that is bloody annoyed by all of this?” asked Ron crinkling his nose.

“I think so, mate. Let them live,” said Seamus, leaning back on his chair.

“Maybe we should eat now? Harry spent all day cooking,” said Draco, his voice shaking slightly.

“You helped. A lot,” rectified Harry, turning to look at Draco in awe. 

“I was trying to be modest, Harry” joked Draco.

A few chuckles were heard and then Harry and Draco finally sat down again. It was still tense at first, everyone trying their best to find something else to talk about. Draco was so relieved and he could see that Harry was too.  
Once the beautiful dessert arrived, they all were chatting and laughing again. Draco looked at Harry who was watching everyone with a small contempt smile. Harry was more beautiful then ever and Draco was unable to look away. 

“What is it?” whispered Harry, turning to look at him.

“No-nothing” stammered Draco.

Harry leaned forward.

“I want to kiss you” whispered Harry.

Draco felt his cheeks flush, like the first time they were this close.

“Later,” said Draco licking his lips.

“You’re right. We have time,” said Harry before serving himself another piece of cake.

Harry was right. They had all the time in the world now.

_When all hope is gone, keep going._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I truly hope you enjoyed this story. I feel a bit emotional posting this because it's the first completed fanfiction I've ever posted (mainly because it is the first fanfiction I've ever completed aha).  
> I have a very strong love for Harry and Draco, and the HP universe so I hope I did them justice.
> 
> Don't hesitate to comment, or even contact me through tumblr (@serooks) if you want to talk about the story or ask anything ! 
> 
> Thank you for reading, thank you so much !


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